Hunger and Fury
by Darling Drusilla
Summary: It's the same damn Pitch Black rewrite that we've all done and read, but…full of sex? And uncovering big, scary, government secrets? Sure. Lets go with that. And the deaths are out of order. Post Miranda, semi-sane River. Going to be mostly in the Riddick verse after they get off of Hades. All Done!
1. Chapter 1

This was not how I intended for things to go at ALL. Trust me on this! But...they did? So...this is really just a series of smut I guess? It happens every time I write a story focused on these two, Every Single Time. Part of the reason I focused the other one on Jack and Jayne; they still managed to sneak some sexin' in if you noticed. So I decided one very simple thing. This was just going to be an indulgent series of smutty chapters with a heavy dose of death and violence. So...vacation? That's Riv's original intent after all. I haven't decided if it'll be much more than just sex though. Like, how long will it take them to actually become something beyond partners?

~!~!~!~

~!~!~

~!~

She had to get out of here.

There was too much going on inside of her head. Too many ideas of what she was and what she should and shouldn't be. All of it clashing and ill fitting as it bounced back and forth from brain to brain. Too many, too much, too far from a truth she couldn't even see. Not a little girl and not a woman. Not enough space to be herself in either capacity.

River had to go away.

When though? When could she leave without drawing attention? When could she leave without drawing attention to the crew? She knew How she'd do it. The semantics ere simple enough and while Simon had tried many a time to be placed in charge of her finances, Zoe had put her foot down. River would forever thank the warrior woman for that. For allowing her freedom in some capacity. Allowing her to dress herself in items of her own choosing or eat her own foods or even to roll around in it on her bed. She'd use it now to find passage to some place further off. A small bag of gear and spare clothing was all she would need until she found some place to settle down. Someplace rimside or maybe some place in the middle where she could tell fortunes. She'd always pretended that when she was young. Her deeply secret fantasy to be a mind reader...had come true.

Who was she? Who was River Marie Tam going to be when she found a place of her own and grew into something new? Not who she was now. Not even the same name could follow her to this new life. River yes, but the other two would be something new, something of her own choosing. Nothing too unreal though. Nothing too well known either. Stark was her mother's family and known for wealth while father's family was full of Tams.

"You're looking a bit like a fairy up there Riv."

Kaylee's sunshine voice rang up to where she lay upon the frame of the docking bay's door. A vision explained the sentiment. Gauzy white cotton was floating in the breeze as a farawy look covered her face. The noon day heat brought sweat and made her skin glisten like a fairy.

"I just might be." River turned and smiled at Kaylee. "Not yet though."

Soon she would become a Fey.

She'd been practicing her writing. Seeing how easy it would be to become Robin Fey for her documents and practicing the name on her tongue once everyone had gone to sleep. It was very simple to put on the face of Robin when the crew wasn't looking. She liked being Robin but she knew without doubt that Robin could only be in charge sometimes. The little bird would have to sleep each night while the river flowed else it would drown when the mask cracked and shattered.

"Fly away home," River hummed from her perch. After several near heart attacks, River had been granted permission to sit atop the door as much as she liked until she cracked her head open. It was more for Simon's benefit than her own. Daddy knew he couldn't stop her if she truly wanted.

He never did want to stop her.

He might now though. River knew exactly the ship she would take once they reached Beumonde. A long distance freighter that would get her out to the tangiers system. A rougher and more uncouth part of the Rim that Mal tended to avoid. Slavers and pirates and all sorts of dreadful things lay on that side, but River had no intention of staying there. Another freighter to Mesotec then Sidhe space until she could grab up a bit more coin to keep herself comfortable on a planet she could make roots on.

Grandmother was out there some place.

The oh so shameful woman Regan had blamed everything for.

River was not her grandmother, thank goodness, nor was she Robin, but both could help her find herself.

"Wanna get down from there Tross?" the captain called. "Wash is ready to lift off and we can't do that with you roosting up there."

"I will fly away," River smiled and hopped down.

"Just make sure you don't break your neck and it's all the same," Mal gave her a look.

He reached over to the comm and gave Wash the go ahead before closing the bay doors. River waited patiently beside him; they would head up to the kitchen once he was done and Simon had not seen her newest dress. Mal had not seen much of it either, mind filled with badgers and all sorts of cold thoughts. The door closed and River made note that it would be the last time she saw it close from this side. Then the captains mind turned towards her and it was filled with all sorts of colors.

"Wuh de ma! Tross, what are you wearin?"

"She is wearing clothes that fit." River gave a twirl and lace came up around her. "Wearing a slip beneath."

"Not much of one," Mal scowled at her. "You wear that out onto the docks?"

"Worries too much," River waved it away. "Can easily incapacitate any untoward advances and the dress covers all that needs be."

"Not rightly sure I agree on that," he scowled at her. It wasn't at her. It was at himself and time and realizing she wasn't the seventeen year old girl who'd come on board. She was nearing nineteen and would soon look for all those thing nineteen year old girls look for. "Get on up to the mess, may as well let your brother squawk now."

Logic dictated that he would.

Inara's mind jolted when River followed the captain in. Only just returning from long days of work, mind exhausted and looking for Serenity. Looking for sunshine and mei mei and finding only one. One melded into two and River smiled at her in return.

"You look beautiful River." Inara held out her arms and smiled when River twirled into them. "Men across the verse would fall at your feet." She smiled. "One way or another."

"That is something a father does not want to hear about," Mal cut in from the counter. He was pouring himself coffee for the night's watch. Zoe was entering from the bridge and upon seeing River, smiled. She'd been there when the girl chose to grow up. The dress she now wore was one Zoe had found for her based on the choices River was making.

"Teen aged rebel girl," River sang at him. "Not wearing anything that gives me away as being from Core."

"She's right Mal." Zoe took her seat at the table, calling up to her husband that he aught to hurry along. "Took her to my places, if anything she'll look to be station born."

"What?" Mal turned on her. "My own crew, working to take me out."

There was always joy to be found with Kaylee when lace was near. Praise and joy and just a little bit of envy at seeing the delicate dress River wore. There was surprise at seeing the girl known as River for the first time as well instead of seeing Simon's idea at who she was and could have been. Jayne was behind her, admiring the new petals but fully aware of all her thorns as well. Aware that a knife could hide just as easy in a dress and a bit interested in where she planned to hide hers.

"Shiny!" Kaylee grinned, looking her up and down. "Fits you so well too! Kinda teasin' too, what with just a slip between you and all that lace."

"It is in her size," River answered conspiratorially. "Simon should never pick clothing for anyone. He forgets what I wore back on Osiris."

He disagreed with that idea very loudly. He stopped dead in the hall when he saw her, colors and images filling his head and arguing until the cracked and shattered all around her feet. Kaylee was the one to speak up, asking what he thought of 'River's pretty new dress' and summoning the words he'd been trying to figure out.

"River, what are you wearing? It's indecent." He came closer and scowled at it. "There's nothing...this isn't something to wear about in public."

"Not for gege to decide," River scowled right back at him. "No longer a lady of standing," she cut his next words off "nor is she engaged or wish to become so. Made her own choice."

"With Zoe's help no doubt," He scoffed. "River you're not well enough adjusted to the outside world-"

"And will never become so if she does not go outside in clothing of her own choosing."

Mal called for everyone to sit down and most everyone did. Simon remained standing, barring River from her seat until he was sure she understood and agreed to let him choose for her.

"River, it's indecent, only a...a rim born floosey or a call girl would wear something like that!"

River turned hard eyes onto him just as everyone else did.

"Have seen Kaylee walking about in less and forgets that she was nearly a companion," River scowled. "Does not look at the women of home or of the Rim, does not see how fashion lives and dies within the span of a few months." River held up a hand. "She will not change to suit you, already tried and failed. I am nearly twenty and fully capable of looking into modern trends and adapting them to Rim life."

"You were almost a companion?" Jayne's voice broke into the conversation and River took the moment to duck around her brother and sit.

Mal was glowering at Jayne and guessing at thoughts the man might be having. Having them he was, but nearly always ending with him bleeding or shot. Not entirely impossible given their living situation. He was sitting to her right as always, though this time Zoe was to her left. There was a seat between them but they knew it would be Wash's.

"I was," River nodded. "It seemed too dull and I was much too smart for my fellows and any possible clients. Regretting it now."

"The koto lessons were pretty bad," Inara teased.

"Would have made You look bad," River shook her finger as she waited fro Mal to start passing things around. He was still mulling it over in his brain; half of him wished she'd gone into whoring while the other half was appalled by the idea of it. "Makes an effort not to."

"Thank you," Inara laughed.

"She's also not a companion," Simon cut in from his side. "She's barely an adult and-"

"Doc, you wanna fill that mouth of yours with something else?" Mal leaned onto the table. "Something that don't make me wanna hit you? River's got herself something fanciful to flutter about the ship in. Nothin' wrong with that." Mal took a sip from his coffee. "Not like she's able to go walking through Evesdown docks whenever she likes. Hell, you barely let her out of her room when we do touch dirt."

River was thankful and bitter all at once. Simon's guardianship was intense, overbearing, cloying in its misplaced sweetness and a good enough deterrent for now. A reminder that no one save the crew would see her and they'd seen her at her worst.

"But-"

"Nothing Wrong," Mal emphasized once again. "Iffin you got issues, go on down to the infirmary and make yourself busy until you don't."

Grudgingly, Simon continued on with his meal and River ignored the barbed thoughts he couldn't or wouldn't control. Bright orange and spilling out, boiling into dark gray hues until his thoughts were cracked and burnt, cinders flying through the air and catching fire to the others around them. Not psychic, not like she was, but aware of body language and pre-established thoughts. Knew his scent on a subconscious and primitive level, even if it didn't register in the now.

"Ooh, a princess!" Wash came further into the kitchen and took the empty seat between Zoe and River. Bright salmon colored and teal in both clothing and mind. His joy put out the sparks and cinders welling up in the others and River felt beautiful once more. "And a queen! I feel incredibly underdressed."

Yes. River would have to fly away soon, before things got too intense. Before Everyone got too taken in by Simon to let her go without releasing the hounds.

"I got itchy feet," River leaned against the door. Mal was taking up watch while most of the others either slept of wandered about. She had another new look on, something that was neither Robin nor River. Loose and lightweight cotton that swayed when she walked, long in the back and short in the front in case she needed to run. Not designed for such, but useful enough and suitable for both core and rim. Read well with both heavy boots and sandals as she wore now.

"This some kind of metaphor?" Mal asked. He didn't turn towards her but he did gesture for her to come closer.

"It is. Heard it once, during a movie, or in a book, used to convey the desire to travel. To move on and away." Mal looked at her then. "Can't keep listening to Simon obsess over a child who never was. Was never the girl he remembers, can't become her either."

"Noticed a fair bit of that," Mal nodded. "Suggestions are always welcome if you got some place in mind. Every place needs somethin' shipped to someplace else and I'm fair to certain we can keep Simon busy if you want to explore some."

"The girl who Was wanted to become an explorer. Wanted to go to New Mecca to see the batiks and the snake charmers or to find her roots in Sidhe System." River looked into his eyes and her heart broke to see him realize what she wanted. "Will always come home. Promise to always come home to Daddy and Serenity, even to her idiot brother."

"You keep sayin' how much it is you want to leave, off to place we don't even have connections..." Mal put his hand on his fist and thought on it. "Then again...River, this thing you're talkin' on, it's a helluva journey girl. Know you been better since Miranda, but you're known to go a bit wooly when things don't exactly go to plan."

"Not for the last year and a half," River shook her head. "And that was almost seven months after the whispers stopped. She was not wrong either!"

"Make you a deal then," Mal looked her in the eyes with complete seriousness. "Seem like you've been planning this a while, in fact, you seem to be ready to bolt soon as we touchdown on Beumonde. I'l let you go, deal with the fallout here, but you gotta wave us every time you touch foot in a new place, dong ma?" He wagged a finger when she began to grin. "And! The first one you send out is to Simon."

~!~

Daddy was dealing with no small amount of fallout, she knew that for a surety, she'd send a wave to Wash before take-off though. Everything was going according to plan. Her first wave had been sent off while she was in transit to the long haul shipyards. By the time it reached Simon, she would be deep in cryo and out of the system. Slower than Serenity for short jaunts, but faster for shipping lanes and cross galaxy treks.

"You wanna put that damn thing away?" A blue eyed devil shouted at her. "He's a con, not an animal at a damn petting zoo!" Nor was he a lawman. Had the badge and a close approximation of a uniform, but his brain was wrong for it and his medals of station were done up wrong.

"Sorry," she apologized, waving. "Documenting my trip for the family."

"Yeah, well get out of the way."

River sidestepped away from the angry devil and tried not to make a face at him. She wasn't the only one waiting for takeoff outside of the ship. A man and his three wards were praying off in a corner while a core bred gentleman was standing to the side arguing with the captain. She knew that man. River readjusted her sunglasses and moved on, approximating everyone until boarding. They were all so boring. One of them though...one of them she couldn't find. Not the girl, River had found her long ago, but someone else. Something else.

Something animal.

"_I'm sorry I couldn't wave you when we first touched down," River's voice floated across the image of scarred sand and wreckage. A single woman was picked out from the rest of the group. "She's not a leaf on the wind. Very far from it." The view switched to River's face, covered in annoyance and displeasure. "More of a rock in a lake."_

River didn't like waking up from cryo the second time any more than she liked waking up the first. The first time had people and then comfort and cold steel. This one had fire and fear and melting ship all around her. She wasn't the only one waking either. All around her people were dying in their sleep or suffocating in glass caskets. Screaming like Reavers trapped inside of her skull. All of them extinguishing as they were dropped like stones in a lake by the pilot. Except the animal from before. He was neither waking nor dying. He was as he'd been before. Awake, calm, collected. River jerked the emergency release of her cryo before kicking it loose and hopping out. Others were falling out, tumbling and coughing or dying from an overload of drugs in the system. Not important. Not needed or necessary. Not the Beast.

Dangerous Criminal

Danger

Warning

Do Not Release

Hardly. River slammed the heel of her hand against the release and climbed in, pulling the door shut behind her and praying to god her calculations and instincts were correct. For this she would pray to Him. For life and the hope that she would live one more day. The beast shifted behind her, smelling her hair and River knew she hadn't taken enough of him into consideration. His cryo was the best enforced and most likely to survive if the crash ripped through the container.

"Apologize," she murmured. The ship rocked and she nearly fell from his lap. Had his leg not risen just enough she might have injured herself quite a bit. "Best seat in the house."

"First time I've heard that," he smiled against her shoulder. There was not as much room as she'd anticipated; his mass was not so small as the glass led her to believe.

"Reinforced glass, sturdier frame, in case of fire will fill with foam and in the event of crash a separate kind to prevent broken bones." River grabbed onto him when the ship began to plummet. "Shitty pilot."

"Whatever you say Beautiful."

She turned and gave him a look to which he only raised a brow. A challenge and an invitation all in one to which she only answered part. She turned to face him fully, arms grabbing him tighter when they began to skid along the planet's surface. The Beast was breathing her in deeper then, muscles flexing and blood rising as she held tight to him. Crimson and indigo filled his mind as curves pulled her in. The things he would do and the things he would let her do to him were bouncing around inside of the capsule they were in, making her breath catch and her body react before she could stop it.

"The girl is a genius and heard exactly what you did. Don't pull that lever." The ship was diving too fast and River reached over to grab the device that would keep their bones from breaking. Her movement allowed a part of him to stand and shift beneath her, impeding her movements when she shifted once more. "Not conductive."

"Not much else for me to do," he grinned at her. "Got a beautiful woman in my lap, full of desire to live and smellin' good enough to eat." A shuddering breath escape her as his mind flickered with all the ideas he had in mind and damn him if he hadn't figured out what she was from that. "I'll stop until you get use squared away. Johns is out for at least an hour, and if we survive, I'll see about finding some way to celebrate."

"Thanatos combining with Morphine, near to deadly." She breathed against his neck. "She is yet as Artemis, as Diana. Unsullied by the hands of men, ever searching."

His teeth grazed against her skin and River gasped when his lips began to move. "Hurry up Beautiful."

Not designed for convicts, she decided as she leaned up to grab the breathing tube. She sat down more fully and held the breather in her mouth before kissing him and hitting the trigger for the impact foam. The ground came before they were fully enveloped and his cuffs released as a safety precaution. Hands on skin and visions of red and the scent of sex and sweat combined with his attack on her form. Freezing as the chamber filled completely and the ship fell apart around them. Fell apart as her mind did with every twitch of his fingers against her skin. He was breathing her in as his tongue found her own, lapping at her with as much force as he could muster in their sterile prison.

He'd picked her scent out almost as soon as Johns had him sealed up and in the ship. Civilian transport ship heading out to the Tangiers sector. Probably towards Guinee, a triple max joint he hadn't been to yet; not to say he hadn't heard a lot about it. Her scent was different than the others though, beautiful was the only word for it as a whole. If he broke it down there was the scent of her soap, cucumbers and something kind of like raw pumpkins, a bit of vanilla mixed in just like every other women's hygiene product. The clothes had a bit of a scent too, some kind of herb or other. No perfume, he liked that, didn't burn his nose like the other women milling around. And there was her. The scent of Beautiful was crisp, clean, sweet in that subtle way and kind of watery. Not like rain or the ocean though. Nah, this was more like grapes. Fresh green grapes and God knew that confused the fuck out of him. Made him want it too. Made him want to know just how much of that translated over; how sweet was her skin, how plump were her breasts, how mouthwatering was she?

Made him a little upset, knowing he'd never know. She'd head off to wherever it was girls like her went and he'd head off to a new slam for a few days. Even if he tried to find her, he didn't have a damn clue what she looked like or where she'd go.

Imagine his surprise when she climbed into his cryo. Right on his lap, smelling like grapes and covered in clothing that looked about as delicate as she did. Dark hair was falling around her face and apologizing for filling the already cramped space. Joking even. He couldn't help keeping her from falling off. She had some kind of plan working behind those eyes of hers and she'd come to his space for a reason. Same reason he'd been okay with having a separate unit. Survival. He was okay with that just as he was okay with having her wiggling about on his lap, skirt riding higher and her scent filling the cryo. If she'd have come into the unit a few minutes ago, maybe an hour or two ago, they could have had some real fun.

Cept she started reacting to his thoughts and pheromones. Every time he'd think on something, like her riding him with all that hair tickling his thighs or her being turned around and on her knees, her breath would hitch. Her heartbeat would pick up and she'd be just as turned on as he was, pushing the animal further until he was damn sure he might break the shackles to get to her. And she was scolding him for it. Not for thinking it or lifting his hips to meet hers, but for distracting her from her plan for their survival. Wasn't rejecting him or disgusted, just annoyed.

Perfectly willing and virginal on top of it. Goddamn but didn't that take the cake; he'd known it too. She didn't have the smell of another man in her own, didn't have the smell mothers had or the awareness of her body to show she'd been with a man before. Didn't make sense though. Sweet little virgin girls didn't run around in lace the way she did. They didn't climb in with cons and survive the way she did. Then again, he'd never met anyone who smelled like grapes. His cuffs released as they began to crash and when he kissed her, hard and now, she responded just like her scent did.

He knew when the ship stopped moving. The impact foam was starting to crumble and turn to featherlight dust. Beautiful was moving against him with such featherlight and slow shifts he thought he might go feral again. He kissed her harder when the foam flaked away to the bottom of the cryo. His arms went around her and she moaned loud into his mouth.

"Must stop," she breathed out. Her pulse was racing and he knew the idea of something more than a tease was too good to be true. "Must escape before the devil comes to the surface."

She was talking about Johns. Riddick hit the release and kicked the door open.

"Need you to stand if we're going to get out of here."

The glower she gave him was worth it he decided. She grumbled in some language he hadn't bothered with and slowly pulled herself back, shaking the whole while as light colored cotton followed her out. Her was going to taint her if she didn't run now. No more virgin goddess to flutter around and tease him with the idea of belief.

"He has one hour before Johns wakes," she breathed out. She looked up at him with a challenge in her eyes. "She would understand if he requires more time."

"Writing checks and you don't even know what you're buying." Riddick swept her up over his shoulder and carried her out of the chamber, ignoring the people who were on the ground as he made he way further back. His fingers slid up under her skirt, and Richard grinned when he didn't feel a barrier between her thighs to keep him from teasing the slick folds there. The sounds she made as she trembled from the whisper of a touch. "We make it out of here, I'm going to fuck you silly."

They'd made it far enough. Riddick let her slide far enough down to pin her against the wall with his hips. His hands were free to explore the endless amount of baby soft skin. His mouth was able to latch onto more than just her neck, but her chest and even the breasts that he'd freed from their lacy confines.

Delicate fingers latched onto his shoulders and he bent to suckle upon one. Not too much, not enough time to play. Her legs stayed up, resting on his shoulders as he dropped down in front of her. The scent of her arousal had been driving him mad, something indescribable and gripping enough to make his eyes roll back and a groan to escape his lips when he ducked under her skirt. Slick with honey and begging him for release she'd dreamt of. Her nails dug into his skin when he laved a trail from bottom to top of the feast in front of him. Slowly, oh so slowly, he did it again, pausing to dip his tongue into her and twirl before moving up and suckling. A breathy moan came from above him, rising in pitch as he sped up. He went deeper, suckled harder and faster as she quivered and moaned above him. Whispered curses mixed with long wails until Riddick felt her legs tense around his head and a scream erupted from her throat.

She slid down the wall and into his lap with shaking limbs. She was smiling at him while hooded eyes took him in. She hadn't actually seen him before, nor had he seen all of her. They'd have time to amend that later. Right now he wanted to watch her in the after glow; he didn't doubt that Johns would wake up in the middle of his turn. His luck she'd be halfway down his shaft, ass in the air when the bastard came in.

"She will endeavor to make it up when his jailor has gone far from them," she hummed lazily. "Would be better if she were on her knees than bent over him." Riddick narrowed his eyes at her and she scoffed at the action. "He is loud and she is not, in her normal state of being," She began to blush hard in his lap and looked away for a moment. Her scent started picking up again and when Riddick started to weigh how bad it would be for Johns to catch him getting head, she turned and swatted at him. Feisty little thing hidden away under all that lace. "Heard the Beast above all others. Calm and cool in the fire and death, mind wasn't screaming but growling in his chains and calculating the time until impact. Knew he would not take unless offered freely..." she paused and worried her lip for a moment, eyes flickering back and forth for a second as her brain worked out new calculations. "Was not entirely aware of the particulars, or of what the strength of mind would mean if he chose to think on other things."

"Reader," he rumbled, sliding a hand up her leg and pulling her against him. He'd heard of Readers, met a few in the slam who went astray and a couple others who went to law enforcement instead. None of them like her though. She had a holster strapped to her thigh with a small gun nestled away and spare ammo on the other one. When he ran his hands along her legs he could feel the knives in her boots and he was increasingly turned on whenever he thought of her using one.

"She is quite talented and will loan him one later." She darted forward and kissed him softly. "Johns is waking. Run, before he pulls the big gauge and thinks to act the hero."

Not a second after she'd spoken, he could hear Johns' heartbeat picking up. The other survivors too, some waking after the came and others following more gently. She lifted herself form him slowly, legs still twitchy, and started checking for anything to clean herself with. Not much was around, but she found something and Riddick watched as she did it.

"Might wanna hurry girl," he rumbled. "Lookin' to pick a fight with the law man."

She snorted and gave him a look.

"Has run from enough to know that he is a liar." She smoothed her dress down and adjusted her hair to look more tousled. "What is his name?"

"Whose?"

"His," she gestured at him. "Trouble with pronouns, has a difficult time getting them straight in her brain and tenses go astray. Learned to ignore them for the most part."

"Riddick," he answered, wondering if he'd found the crazy one. Well, she found him. He extended his hand to her and gave his full name. "Richard B. Riddick."

"No alias?" she asked, taking it into her own, much daintier one. "Robin Fey." She was lying. It pissed him off to know she was lying to him after... "He may call her River when they are alone."

"River." Cool and without walls or end. Raging one minute and lazing the next. "Go on and be Robin then, the shaken girl who got separated and finally found her way back to the nest."

She gave him a cocky little salute and turned to leave. "Don't get shot," he heard her sing at him. "Need to get off the island."

~!~

There was sand all around them save for a tiny trail of wreckage and destroyed corpses behind them. Black and bruised, the ship had died and parasites ran about its corpse. Corpses in a corpse on a corpse. The suns were high in the sky, yellow and white as the oxygen burned away and clung to the low ground. The River didn't flow here and the Robin didn't fly. She stayed in the shade with the others as they took toll of what the had and what they didn't have. Who lived and who had died and who would perish in the time between.

Others were waking up now, Johns still on the ground as he tried to force himself to wake fully. The Girl's leg didn't work right, still shaking with the sensations the Beast had brought her. She wasn't River to him, certainly not the Robin, but something she'd never been before. Called and recognized as such, but never identified as an embodiment of Beautiful. Something off about it. Logic of the girl that was and the family behind and the family around told her it was hollow. It was sweet nothings spoken by men to gain her trust and body. He wasn't a man though. He was a Beast and half mad from living inside of his own head for years inside of cryo. Madness inside of his head; madness invading hers.

"We're all mad here."

River looked down at the waking girl beside her. Fourteen years to her mind and too many names. No identity of her choosing and a simple one abandoned for adventure. Adventure on a planet full of whispers. Whispers of men and women turned beast and monster deep within the earth. Locked under silica and granite dust, under stone and fossil by Helios and Sunna. Locked by who? Not Alliance, not Blue Sun, not anything she knew but something she could have known. River reached over to help the younger girl sit up. Young and feigning masculinity to travel with ease in a rough system. Not old enough to belong to someone and not strong enough to fight off slavers. Cryo drugs were still new to her, still something to worry about as you struggled for lucidity. The struggle was always trouble.

"The girl in boys' clothing," she smiled kindly. The Girl and the girl had a moment before the others came too and bright fear flickered all around the younger. "Don't fret. Secrets all around and keys for just a few. She carries the keys to many, but hasn't a care for what's behind door number 3."

"I'm Jack," the other girl finally introduced herself. "I ran away, all by myself too."

"Boring back home?" River asked. "Know a man named Jayne, ventured out for work to escape a chaotic home." She gave Jack a look. "Best tracker in the Anglo-Sino sector."

"A merc?" Jack asked. The blue eyed devil was awake now, collecting his bearings before bolting after his bounty. She certainly hoped he wouldn't be shot.

"Hired gun, not a bounty hunter. Daddy wouldn't dare let a hunter on board."

River rose up and swayed ever so slightly. The screams were louder the further up in the air she was. Distracted earlier by crimson and clover and the Beast's wicked tongue, too low to the ground to hear them float through the air before. River focused on Jack. On the simple mind and the faith she had in the elder girl in front of her. Faith was a strong emotion and a dependable anchor no matter what it was based on. It gave the river a filter to adapt and judge the world by. Troublesome if it was the wrong filter. Too many variables to add and adjustments to make.

"Shall we see who else is alive?" River asked. She extended her hand to the girl with a boy's name.

"Why not," Jack shrugged. She hesitated before accepting the offered kindness but she followed behind as dutifully as any child.

River did not want to hear the Beast bite and snap at his would-be tamer. Did not want to hear the crunch of bone or the sound of bruises blossoming. Would rather pick through the glass in search of a single breath or whisper for help.

"There's someone," Jack pointed out.

"Dead." River dismissed it and tilted her head before finding someone still trapped in their container. "Paris P. Ogilve. Blackmarket antiquities dealer." She moved closer tot he scowling man who knew without a doubt who she was now. "Be careful, likes to look upon young boys. Used make Simon frown." She looked back at the tank and hit a small button on the side and the door began to swing open. "We will go now and he will die for coming too close."

"What on earth are you talking about R-"

The faith gleamed brighter in the Jack as Robin pulled her gun on the man.

"Miss Robin Fey," she spoke as she released the safety. "This is Jack Fey, and she swears by her pretty floral dress that one step towards us will get your head redecorating the cabin."

"I see," Paris stepped back.

"Good thing, red's not so much your color anyhow." River put the safety back on and began to usher Jack along through the cabin, past the dead and up to where a prospecting couple were sitting on the edges of their cryo. Hadn't seen much, hadn't heard much, hadn't much else to focus on either.

"Core boy givin' ya a hard time?" The man was from New Melbourne, known for desert and beaches and exotic wildlife. Known for survival of the cleverest and luckiest.

"She knows him from much further back in her history than she'd care to think upon." River swatted at Jack's hand when the younger girl tried to peek to see if there was anything else hidden. "Quit it. Will give you a knife if you are very good. Daddy wouldn't like it much either way."

"Not _my_ dad," Jack defended. She crossed her arms and left it alone though. "Doesn't seem like your dad and that creep hung around the same circles though."

"Paris was an acquaintance of her father's and tormentor of her brother." River leaned against a broken and empty cryo tube. The body had fallen out upon impact and the soul had left in the beginning. "New family now. New daddy who likes to say the war is over but cannot escape Serenity Valley. _Da bianhua_ coming since Miranda though. "

"Your dad fought in the Unification War?" The woman was asking now. Serenity Valley was blooming in both of their minds; sloughing through the mud and the blood and knowing that this couldn't be much worse. Brown coats had been turned into tool belts and boots, short jackets for hotter days. Always keeping it with them even if they tried to leave it behind.

"Sargent Malcolm Reynolds," River told them proudly. "Reynolds's Rougnecks."

"_Jing tsai_!" the man crowed. "Zeke Ledger, former corporal for that lucky bastard. How is he?"

"Just a captain now," River held up her hands. "There are whispers though. Always whispers of war and growing louder every night."

"Probably won't be Sarge ever again," the woman admitted. "More likely to become General when this all comes to a head again. Bigger numbers this time, more people involved, worse things goin' on under all that primp and polish." She extended her hand to River. "Shazza, I was daft enough to marry this fool."

"What would Zoe think?" River teased. "Oh, she forgets, Zoe is still second in command. Married the pilot Daddy hired against all wishes otherwise. Politely told him _chiu se_ and is now expecting." River paused. "Would have the girl in very deep trouble for forgetting what she was doing. Must find others, see who is still living and make a plan."

"We could probably start on the foraging," Zeke agreed. "Course, might be better to take the fallen and bury them."

"No sense in it," River waved her hand. "No rocks to place atop them and nothing to keep the sand from blowing away. Best to erect a pallet for a sky funeral of earth that was."

"Could give them a Hunter's Death," Shazza suggested. "Might be someone could see the smoke...I'll look around for some kind of welder or cutting torch. See if you can bully that poncey bastard into helping you clear out dear."

The four of them broke apart and went about their tasks. River was just fine with Zeke threatening violence against Paris. Thought the Grecian idea of younger male lovers was fine, River thought so as well, but force was not permitted in ancient times or in modern; the ponce often ignored that. Ahead of her was a father. Not a father of cloth, though very devout while not against other beliefs. Had faith in his mind and heart and River felt another filter slide into her scope. Respect and concern for some, if not all, the right reasons. His sons followed him, worrying and waiting for a word that they would be safe.

Too many whispers to know.

"The dude from the core is a child molester," Jack blurted out. Not to the father but to the boys. A warning to build camaraderie. "Robin had to pull a gun on him."

"_Ai ya tien ah_," she sighed to the Jack. "Tact and patience must be taught to the little brother. Do not listen to ge-ge or he will make your skills worse. That is Jack, she is as was called."

"I am Imam, and That sounds nearly impossible," the man of faith admitted. "I hate to ask what happened to your brother before you rescued him."

"Didn't. Jack was not old enough, nor was she, when he slipped into Simon's room." River watched as Jack spoke with the boys. They knew. Knew as well as any animal that the creature in front of them was different. Knew it was female and just hiding. Knew many girls back home who did the same for an education. "Hasn't changed. Will never change. Wants everything shining with value."

"I thank you for the warning," Imam bowed.

He offered her blessing in his actions. Reverence for the spirit within herself as it existed. River bowed in return, no longer miming the action she'd copied as Inara's assistant. The spirit within her honored the spirit within him and respect was born between them. Foolish ideals in a book that made less sense than the shepherd's, but ideals he offered only to those who might want them and apologized when they were denied. He would always pray for those who did not though. Wished joy and good tiding for everyone, much as Inara did...usually.

"Are there any other's alive?" Imam asked.

"Five. The Beast and the would-be officer, Paris, Zeke and Shazza." River paused. "There may be others in the front of the cabin. Zeke would need help in moving the dead to the sky."

"A Tibetan sky funeral?" Imam asked. "My sister had one after converting. For a climate such as this, it is most prudent." He glanced over at his boys and then back at River.

"She can watch the youngest if he feels the need to assist. Jack will be a better choice in three years, perhaps even seven."

"Thank you. The elder boys often forget he is so small and quick to tire." He called the youngest over. Ali, as the thief of legend is quicker than most might think though willing to make bonds with those who would aid him. "I thank you, Robin. Be safe, for there are many loose wires."

"You as well." River offered her hand to the young boy and smiled when it slid into hers. "If you feel upset, do not seek to hide it. Overcome it. Fear can cut deeper than swords, and causes only chaos in the mind and soul."

The little boy did not calm himself, but he did work to ignore what he saw. Remembered that the girl was armed and his brothers would not be alone. His father would make everything right. Not Allah, but Imam. He had no faith in the book or the man in the sky, but a man of flesh and blood; did anyone ever have faith in a hypothetical creative deity?

"Came for adventure," River hummed as she lifted the younger boy over a fallen beam. Too high for him to climb over with ease and not low enough for them to crawl under. His weight alone caused it to creak. "Wanted to see the verse outside of Daddy's ship. Stuck in a sandbox now."

"Perhaps it will rain, and we can build sandcastles," Ali spoke up. "I practice whenever I am able. When I am grown, I should like to build many things. People will look upon them and say 'That was built by Ali for the children of New Mecca' and inside there will be food and clothing." River hoisted herself over the beam and helped Ali off when it began to slide down with a quickness. "Thank you. There will be warm beds as well."

"Every bit the gentleman," River smiled at him. His desire to do such a thing was strong, nearly so strong as the thoughts that had flashed through the mind of the Beast as she was held by him.

"Are you alright Miss Robin?"

"_Mei wen ti_. She is tired, _wu toh wu now_, and the air is thinner here than she is used to." It was not a lie, but an omission of the truth. Could not tell the boy that she swayed from the lustful thoughts of a Beast in chains. Chains. "Come, not too much further to look."

River covered his eyes when she happened upon someone. The docking pilot was weeping beside him as he mumbled in his delerium. A piece of the ship had gone through his chest and he was stuck between a collapsing ceiling and sand. The whispers from below were stronger now. A murmur of dreams and nightmares created by gloves of a different color.

"Could grant him a quick death," River offered to the still weeping pilot. Wept for the man's idiocy. Should have let her drop the load; would have lived to shout at her, to shake her, to fuck her against a wall before going back to his wife and buying his coworker's silence. "Would end the suffering he did not deserve."

"Wha? Who the hell are you?"

"_Yeh lu jwo duo luhjwohn whei jian guay_, they are living ghosts," she answered. "Saw the door jam before we crashed. Shall she shoot him for you? Wouldn't need to touch a thing, handle included."

"What the fuck are you talking about! He's not an animal!" the woman shouted. "You can't just-"

"Very well. Ali, let us find another way back to the others. I fear the beam wouldn't like to have us climb over it again."

Ali let her steer him and avoided the sight of the suffering man. He'd seen the man once and when she'd offered a bullet to the brainpan, he'd prayed the pilot would take it.

There was a hole just big enough for the both of them to squeeze out and into the planet of the dead and the dying. Ali's brothers ran past with Jack and to the right she could hear a welding torch going. A trail of blood was streaked across the sand to a platform. A rope and pulley treated the dead with as much respect as conveniance allowed. They were joined by someone new. Someone had taken Paris's place in the work force while the other sat in the shade and watched.

"Robin!"

She looked over to where Shazza stood by the ship. Leading Ali along behind her, River went closer, the worry had come along on the breeze but the reason was only clear when she could see the wet earth below the ship.

"Didn't get much saved, maybe enough for a day or so, should have been enough for a month."

"Will have to send out search parties," River agreed. Ali squirmed in her hand and looked at the wet sand with longing eyes. "Build." Ali went down to the sand immediately and began to build his model home. "Has she discovered anything?"

Shazza paused for the barest of seconds before shaking her head.

"Nothing much. Paris has a couple crates of wine and whiskey, but Imam can't drink that and I've never fancied a drink on an empty stomach." Shazza moved her foot when Ali tapped it. "Sorry Mr. Architect. Can't find anything to eat yet. Saw the water leaking and went to it."

"We can look. The front has a grieving pilot and a dying man. Denied a quick death and left before we could be screamed at. There are other containers we haven't checked yet. "

"Bout that," Shazza waved her to the side. River followed her a few paces away. They'd seen the scorched earth behind them at it worried the family. Rightfully so, but more than needs be. "Not to mention, Officer Johns has a convict locked up in the third compartment."

"If he is a cop then Daddy is a purple belly," River snorted. "Have been chased by more than enough to know when when I see and hear them."

"And somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

"The somehow is being Daddy's favorite daughter."

Shazza laughed and went back to her new job. She had decided to see to the mourning woman in the front and keep an eye on the curiously absent Paris. He was getting drunk in the shade, too hot to give chase or pick a fight with River Tam. Soon he would not care. The wine would run hot in his veins and he would look for whomever he could muscle down. She could not take care of him though, not without getting attention from the blue eyed devil and mistrust from the pilot. Soon they would have the family believing their words; she would be Sarge's little girl and worth protecting more than listening to.

"That is where the criminal is," Ali argued as she led him to their next destination.

"He is chained and will not harm children," River assured him. "With any luck, he may decide to kill Paris first and foremost out of all of us."

"That is not comforting miss Robin," he argued.

"He is still chained and still refuses to harm children," River crouched down in front of the boy. The beast was listening to them, thinking the thoughts of a protector over those of her bent in front of him. "If he is scared, we can return to Shazza and the pilot."

"No." he shook his head. "I am not scared. I will not let fear into my soul."

"Good."

He was still trembling as they walked into the container. He tried desperately to hide it to stamp the fear down and think of joyful things. Of the curtains he would put into his children's home and of the nice bed he had awaiting him at his own home. He thought of his brothers and how they might tease him and of Miss Robin and how displeased she would be if he were scared.

"Brave thing, coming in here," the Beasts' voice rumbled through the dim light.

"Not the first time she has ventured into his territory," River waved it away. "Glad you were not shot though. The blue eyed devil is busy loading the dead onto a palette and wondering how much longer he must play at the hero."

Ali wasn't hiding behind her so much, but listening and paying very close attention to what was going on.

"He'll get twitchy soon enough, find a quiet corner to dose up in and have himself a nice little breather." The Beast tilted his head in a shrug. "Might decide to play the good guy a bit longer. You could let me loose you know. Might save my shoulders some pain while I escaped."

"She could also suggest Johns go on a search party for water while she watches the children." River began to walk closer to a pile of crates and motioned for Ali to help her lift the lid from one. He was small, but his effort was admirable. Nothing but blankets within, destined for a rim planet. Perhaps one had protein or a saline solution. "Will try to talk them into taking Paris. Can he be patient?"

"Beautiful, I am made of patience."

"Are you lovers?" Ali asked. It was so sudden and blunt that neither of them answered. "You speak as though you have been close, and there is teasing in your words. Like my teachers at school."

"You bet we are kid," Riddick answered before River could. A simple answer to a simple question. Enough to silence further questions. "Can't tell anyone though. Law man out there's likely to slave her out if he found out."

"Or turn her in," River agreed. "Nearly as much as the Beast is in her home sector. Acts of violence against the government. Stole medicine for Rim planets and takes part in honest thieving to help the poor."

"Like Robin Hood!" Ali realized. "I will not tell. Does Jack know?"

"No, only you." River patted his head. "Help her with this crate now?"

With pride in his forbidden knowledge and a need to impress the two adults, he helped River open every crate they could manage until Johns came in with an odd look. His odd happiness quickly turned to annoyance and impatience at the sight of them. Lust began to creep in as he saw her bent over the edge of a crate, digging for the last few protein packs. Lust from both men, for sex and blood in different measure from different people.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Johns asked. "Bringing a kid in here with him?"

"Better in here with him than out there with a molester," River waved him off. She handed another protein pack to Ali and righted herself. "No water, but enough food for a year. Vegan and otherwise. Thought it best to find out what we had before looking for that which we need."

"Yeah... Frye thinks we need to send out some search parties. Can't do that if you're planning to just run around a killer though."

"Has food now. No reason to be in here any longer." Imam could be heard calling for Ali and River began to go out with the child. Johns stepped into her way. "Must escort the boy. Know Paris for the vile creature he is."

"I'll take him," Johns shook his head. "I'm going to see if there's some water further out in the world. Saw some trees earlier, Imam reckons its a good sign."

He was all smiles and charm now. Turning on the smolder and looking a fool for it. Knew Riddick could hear and see and would suffer for it even as the Devil's own mind turned over the different ways to talk her into losing the purity. If he could not, he would crush it. Jack as well once he found out.

"She thanks him. Will be waiting with baited breath, for she does not partake of libations. It isn't Christian."

The temptation was stronger now. The need to break her increased and the images becoming more detailed and varied. The Beast was going mad with rage and jealousy that the Devil would take what wasn't his. River had to hold fast to the mind of the little boy and focus on being Robin. Johns stepped aside and let her go first, acting the gentleman Ali was. She went, trying not to sway overly much as she went. There was food to give and prayers to be made and soon the devil would be far away.

~!~

Riddick heard her as she slipped back in a half hour later. A crack in the blindfold told him just enough. River was still swaying in the heat and from the assault she must've caught from Johns. Picking up on Riddick's mind, simple as it was, was easy for her. Animal's minds didn't think much beyond feeding, fighting, and fucking. Man's mind though, he knew the evil in there.

"Knows only one sort of evil here," River hummed as she came closer to him. There was something in her hands. Part of a protein cake and a jar of water. "Not from the devil's mind either. Something older, colder, something left for dead when the vials broke and turned everyone into something sleeping in the dark and screaming in the nightmares." She took a shaking breath and came closer to him. "The heat is catching up and her lungs are not adapting quickly enough. Leaves her breathless. Keeps her from going too wooly."

"Very christian of you, bringing food and water to the criminals."

The look her got made him laugh out loud. Part offense and part disgust, knowing he was teasing her and still lifting the biscuit to his mouth. He was gentler than usual when he bit down, catching just the edge of her finger with his teeth before letting his lips rest on her skin. She jumped when her broke the chunk off and thought of what he might do when she let him loose. She swayed again and leaned against him for support.

"Can I catch a drink?" he asked. He wasn't close enough to purr the question into her ear but she still shuddered with the sensation.

"Will have to, she may drop it soon."

She lifted it to his lips and he'd never been so glad to drink stale water. Aside from being alive after a shitty landing, he had a way to get loose and Beautiful was attending him like some kind of priestess. Tending to children and hardened criminals like it wasn't anyone's business but her own and theirs. Kinder than most he'd met and smart enough to fall behind and into the mask when she needed to.

"You really got a bounty?" he asked after he'd finished.

"Ten Million less than his," she nodded. "Escaped that which did not exist and killed a doctor who was already dead. Knives into her skull and needles into her eyes. Asking what she sees and giving her secrets she never wanted. Government trained assassin, was broken and loosed before training was completed."

The scent of madness was creeping in. Not strong enough he had to worry and she was catching herself much quicker than a lot of guys he'd met. Going wooly was a good way to describe it.

"Killed the secretary general with a pen. Wanted to know if she'd been trained in seduction yet, so she gave him an example."

"A pen? I'll have to remember that one." She offered him another drink and he shook his head. There would be plenty of time for that later. A breathy sigh came from her lips and he wanted out now. "How you going to do this? Ain't got his keys and you're pretty keen on keeping me from hurting myself."

He could smell _that_ look again. The one that told him he was being an idiot and she knew what she was doing if he'd stop distracting her. Soon enough he'd stop, after he got a real bearing on the situation and knew what he had to work with. Different governments and different training came to the same end.

"Learned to pick locks when she was seven. Simon taught her." She went around behind him and pulled something over for her to stand on. He had at least a foot on her and his arms were up even higher. She wasn't climbing all the way up though. Her footsteps stopped and thin arms began to wrap around his waist. "Knows he would rather be the one behind. She will come when he needs it, but for now, want to feel him without distraction."

A healthy respect for the animal and needs of her own raised her just another step up. He'd never been very good at picking locks though. Not quite delicate enough for it. Wasn't alive and moving under him or slipping soft hands under his shirt like she was now. Smooth skin traced his muscles and when he jumped he could smell the wicked amusement. Her fingers traced his ribs again, ever so lightly before moving up as she stood. His shirt was moving up with her until she left to move her hands along his arms. Up his biceps, lingering in the middle before fingertips traced all the way up to his own. Exploring what she had in front of her and every moment growing more satisfied with what she saw. Still hadn't seen all of her. Probably wouldn't for a while either.

There was something innocent about it all. The way she touched his skin, explored the feel of a man's body; the feel of _his_ body under her fingertips. Like he was something she'd never even thought of seeing before. The thought sobered him up enough to make her pause and allow worry into their scent. Readers always were confused by thoughts. Couldn't make sense of them without solid explanations. She hadn't lifted her hands though, hadn't leaned away from where she was taking in the smell of him; base scent that almost every person could pick up.

"Ever seen a naked man before?" He asked. "I ain't talkin' on catching your brothers walking out of the shower, or maybe daddy wasn't quick enough to hide it all."

"Not a one of them would have," she spoke against his skin. Reading the reactions her breath had on his physical and mental state. "Proud of their looks and achievements. She has seen, but never seen one of her choosing."

"Never been chosen before," Riddick chuckled. "That why you ran away from home? Nothin' to look on?"

The sigh of annoyance came first. Then there was the sensation of her swinging around to the front of him, landing on cat feet despite the boots she wore, and surrounding him with her scent. Still carried the lust from earlier, some dirt from her ventures. Other passengers mixed in and out of it.

"Did not run. She finally had the ability to explore and find herself. Shattered at the Academy, not enough of a baseline to remember and figure herself out." There was a movement in front of him and she was lifting up his blindfold. Silicone straps came into contact with his head and soon enough he was looking at her through uv tint. "Remembered who she saw herself as instead of the masks sewn to her skin. Ripped them off at Miranda and revels in the sunlight upon her skin. Daddy let her go, but she must wave on every new planet."

"Heard about Miranda. Got access to a data port back on Athena, read up on the other systems."

"Have your own right here," she hummed. River leaned forward and her forehead came into contact with his chest. Breath trickled across the skin still bared from before. Something primal about it. Innocent and primal all at once. "Can't go to ground. She needs him to live and they wait beneath the earth."

"Whatever you say Beautiful." All he got was stay above ground and some kind of idea about experiments. She was making that face at him. "Not a reader. Not gonna bend you over that crate over there either." Her look and scent filled with confusion. "You're not ready. Honored you'd think i'm the one to go to, but-"

"Didn't come to him because he was the best available," She swatted his chest. "She had ample opportunity in her own system to find a big scary _hun dhan _to rut. Not because he is trained either or because of the crash." she looked him over and struggled for the next words. "It is his scent. The sound his mind makes. A scent of something she can not describe, doesn't have words for it, but knows it's something that is his. The Beast and no one else."

"Alright then." He went to jiggle his cuffs and was just surprised enough when the chains fell away. Quick little thing, wasn't she? She was nearly preening from his musings and he grinned at it. "How long you think we got?"

"Talk of putting together a search party, for water or food, for living souls." Her hands slid along his skin again and his arms came around her waist. "Halfway to an agreement, soon the devil will come for your soul. Time doesn't work here, nothing to judge by and no clocks around... She has one hour."

"One hour to let you have your way with me," Riddick tried not to think how much more fun it would be to have her lips around his shaft only a few feet from Johns. Loved taunting that fucker.

"If he saw, the images in her head would scream and her skin would burn from them," She whispered. There was fear in her scent and the need to kill Johns increased. "Can not kill him yet, his life is still yours until the family learns to trust him."

"Dying breaths then," Riddick offered. "Let him know before I cut out his heart."

"Only if he offers it as a gift," she teased.

For a moment, both simply enjoyed the touch of the other. A woman in his arms who took comfort in his killing. Saw into his mind and didn't run screaming. Probably because she was already crazy, but he wasn't going to complain. River knew his scent and his skin; she was all but purring in his arms for the both of them.

"You're a strange girl," he settled on saying. He pulled her closer and her heartbeat picked up as the trickle of her own lust came into being. Not like before when it was his need filling her and spilling out. Nah, this one was different. Had that desire for the unknown and for him in particular. He didn't bend her over the crate, but her did pull her over to it. Let her decide to climb onto his lap before he buried his face in the pile of curls and let his lips ghost across her skin. He hasn't had to hold back and summon a response in a long time, not since Madripoor and that wasn't this.

"He likes the strange things," she breathed out. "Likes to think of her lips around his cock as death surrounds them." She gasped when his teeth grasped a bit harder than he meant to. Talkin' about two of his very favorite things as she writhed in his lap tended to distract him. Made it hard to focus on keeping himself in check and his hands on the outside of her clothes. "Would feel his hands on her skin as his lips dance along her neck."

"Makin' more sense than we've got time for," he growled into her ear. "Someone's coming along soon." She stilled in his lap and tried to focus on what was coming for them. "Woman, prospector. Tool belt and boots made from the same hide."

"Shazza. Daddy's officer during the war." River's scent was full of all kinds of things. Upset and worried, no shame in there, but a good dose of wanting the woman to respect her. The other's he was getting used to. "Lies will be spun soon, will make her seem the delicate flower of Sarge's garden instead of the daughter they know he would have."

"Giving in to a convict wouldn't be very helpful to your cause." Riddick leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. Couldn't look at them directly. The room was brighter than he'd hoped and she'd taken advantage of what she could get. "Less of course you could get her to be sympathetic to mine."

"Would involve long stories, details he would need to know as well. May be able to work something out though." River's hands came to rest on her thighs, edging her skirt up a bit higher and giving the both of them one last reminder of what there was only a moment past. "There will be a time when he must stick close to her. The pilot will soon demand a burial and lives will be lost to the hunger resting below. Will blame the closest available monster instead of the one under the bed."

"You can hear that?"

"Heard the beginnings of the thought as she left the debate. Will demand them for her crew if no one else." River stretched over him like a cat and her top drifted up. Gauzy cotton that barely hid the bra she wore. "Wears a bra because it is easier to run in. Knickers laugh at her, so they are burned."

"Not complaining." He looked around for a minute before asking if her suitcase survived. "Might be helpful if someone got distracted while I made a run for it. I'll hand you his liver for it."

"Her carry on is in the front," she agreed. "Will drink in the sunlight as she has been without for too long."

~!~

"Do you smell coconuts?" Frye hadn't been able to shake the scent of it since Shazza came back in. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Nah, probably little Miss Robin Fey."

Johns pointed to a white spot on the sand outside of the container and Caroline strained her eyes to get a better look. Sure enough, someone was laying out in the sun and stripped down to her nothings. A soft sound was coming through the air, music from some little gizmo she'd managed to find in her things. Zeke and Shazza had left the discussion about fifteen minutes ago and were now sitting in the shade. They'd introduced Robin to the rest of everyone while she kept the youngest of Imam's kids busy. She was barely a kid herself and her brother couldn't have been more than a year younger, more likely he was older.

Caroline left the container to go talk to Robin. She'd left after a mention of boredom, Jack following along behind her, and Johns had been getting twitchy ever since. Johns paused for a minute behind Frye, watching and waiting before he went straight to where he had Riddick strung up. Frye ignored the alter for the dead as she made her way to the sunbathing teen. Owens was with them now, looking directly at her as she walked into camp. Watching with rheumy eyes as she walked and talked.

"You know this isn't a vacation, right?" Frye asked of the girl on the sand. If it were, she'd be offering the man in the back container a drink and wanting her own blanket in the sand. The smell of coconut was stronger now, mixed with the smell of cocoa butter and something that just escaped her. Something that made her want to spread out in the sand and ignore everything.

"Perhaps not for you, but I paid my fare," Robin waved her off. "Was headed for sandy beaches and sun, received as such...perhaps not the exact white sand, and certainly less surf than imagined." The girl raised a brow and stared at Caroline from behind an undoubtedly expensive pair of sunglasses. "Why shouldn't she take advantage of an even tan?" Robin turned to lay on her stomach. The girl reached over into the bag next to her and collection of lily white scars were standing out against fair skin. All along her spine was a trail of track marks and surgical scars. Jack didn't look at them; he looked away and off towards where Johns and Riddick were. "Would be better if she didn't have to worry over offending Crislam senses; must write Zoe a thank you for talking her into packing a bikini. Planned for nude beaches on Crete, not deserts full of _lao bahn_ law men and _wei shian dohn woo_ cons."

The idea of a tweenie running around without panties made Frye twitch just a bit more than when Robin fell into that choppy fucking language. She didn't have anything against other languages as a rule, but couldn't she use something other people could understand? It was rude and Caroline wanted as far away from the little girl as she could get. Robin came back with that frilly white skirt and shimmied her way into it before slipping a belt around her waist and hooking herself into her gear.

"Have you just been walking around with a pistol strapped to your thigh this whole time?" Caroline asked. Seemed a more appropriate subject than asking who'd cut into her or why she was allowed to run wild. Also made her wonder if this girl was half of what she said she was. "It's illegal to have guns without permit."

"Daddy made sure she got her permits. 'Captain's daughter aught to have something to keep her pretty and safe'." Her voice took on a western twang, different than the one Johns had and more relaxed. "Got it for her birthday two years ago."

"How old are you?" Caroline demanded. She couldn't be much older than Jack, tiny as she was, and that third person thing...

"Twenty and one when May Day comes to Osiris."

Not a kid, just dainty and delicate in that way Core girls were supposed to be. Osiris meant money too, so it was more likely her scars were something to help and going without drawers was something core folk just did. Caroline walked away from the Fey, realizing just how apt the name was for the both of them. One always getting into trouble and making problems while the other looked like she belonged on a wine label and might break if a gust of wind came by. She paused part way to the rest of the group; she could see Imam and his boys praying but that wasn't what made her stop. A glance back to Robin and Jack made her think. Robin had said something earlier while Owens lay dying. Something cold and at odds with the girl in the sun. Entirely business and hardly even human.

"Sarge's girl giving you trouble?" Shazza asked from a small distance away. "Surprised she's out of his sight to be honest."

"Sarge?"

"Yeah," Zeke nodded. "Her daddy used to lead us through hell and out the other end during the war. Helluva man. _Jing tian dwohn di_ on the field."

"Damn pretty too," Shazza laughed.

"She offered to shoot Owens in the head for me." Neither of them seemed shocked to hear it. "Her daddy ever offer that?"

"Sometimes he wouldn't have to." Zeke stood up and stretched out his muscles. Ali had run to join Robin on her blanket and Jack decided to rejoin the other boys in their exploration. "So, we decided which direction we want to search in?"

"Towards the trees. Might be some people or some kind of settlement we can try to find." She looked at Zeke before he walked away. "If it's not too much trouble, do you think you can bury him? Owens always wanted a tombstone."

He made a face and shifted for a minute before agreeing. He'd go drag Paris with him to keep the kids safe. Caroline had no idea what the hell that meant but she kept hearing everyone talk about the man like he was some kind of plague. Everything about this situation was seven kinds of fucked up. Browncoats on one side, Law one another, convicts and core girls on another still. She stepped back when a pack of boys ran in front of her. Fucking kids were everywhere.

Johns rejoined her a few seconds later. He was watching Robin and her brother and Frye felt less disgusted by his leers now. He wasn't watching some kid, but a full grown woman. Made it less disgusting somehow. Johns hadn't given her those looks, maybe a few considering glances, but never the kind of thing he gave her. Maybe it was a guy thing. The need to fuck something untouched. Then again, maybe the girl was actually quite popular in her home sector.

"Our favorite con still locked tight?"

"Tighter than a nuns twat," Johns nodded. "You're welcome to go look for yourself."

"Just worried. I don't want to deal with anymore surprises." She glanced over at him and his baby blues were focused on her. Ignoring Fey completely as she spoke. Good. She could get used to that. "I don't feel like dealing with two predators."

"Paris? Yeah, got a few words about him from the holy man. Figured we'd leave him here while we looked for water, take the kids with us."

"Like a family picnic?" Frye asked. "Let's make sure the dog's locked up first."

"Fine," Johns sighed. "We'll go look together, okay?"

"Gone like the shadow he is," River laughed as she watched Johns lead Frye to the empty container.

"What is gone Miss Robin?" Ali asked from beside her. He'd been drawing in the sand; elaborate puzzles and mazes surrounded them and while River had solved each, they would have given many pause and stumped even more. He was a clever boy, but not so confident or reckless as to taunt or tease the people around them. Not like Jack who yearned for attention.

"Richard," she hummed, laying back on her elbows. "Prowling about the land like a beast."

Ali made a small noise and erased one of his early puzzles before starting again. The Academy would take him, Richard's as well. Take him and use him for their own means. Instead of cities, he would plan wars. Fortresses instead of foundling homes.

Frye ran out of the shuttle while Johns roared from inside. Into the middle of the group and shouting that Riddick had escaped. Her stone mind raced now, the lust inside of her nearly gone and replaced instead with fear and forbidden desire. A desire that he'd come for Caroline in the middle of the night, dark skin desirous of blonde hair; it wouldn't be the first time. There was fear though. Locked up, he wasn't a threat. She could think of him as less than herself. Now he was free and more. The boogey man.

"The Beast," River hummed. He was on the other side of her dune, listening for the barest of moments. "The hunter thinks he is prowling through the jungles and all around watering holes. Zeke is knocking on the door and soon an answer will come. Home is where the heart is and the body rests."

He was sliding down the dune now, off towards the trees that weren't trees and away from the crash. Away from civilization and the shining beacons that were Paris and Johns. He'd double back though, give just enough of a trail.

"Do you know if Crete worships bulls?" Ali asked. His question was so simple. "I have tried to learn, but my teachers always scold me for looking into other beliefs."

"She doesn't know," River apologized. "Not from this sector and the Alliance blocks out information on other governments."

"Perhaps you could write me from there, if we survive this."

"Promise to write him," River smiled. "If he will write her in return. Come. They will search for water now, and she thinks there will be luck."

Luck with water and a private dwelling to make a mess of. The whispered dreams were creeping up, louder and louder as the blood above them stirred their hunger. River stood from her blanket and gathered it up. They would depart sooner than Beast would like, but it couldn't be helped. The Devil and the stone pilot were gathering everyone about them and Ali ran back to his guardian. River was slower to join them. Robin would meander over, stretch and distract to give him time to hide and plan.

"Kicking on?" she asked as she came to the group.

"Seems so," Shazza nodded. "Zeke and I are staying here, got some more holes to patch up and figured out some kind of ventilation method to keep the ship cool."

"Idle hands," River hummed. "Saw another container half league that way. Might be some who need help, or some who don't."

"I'll check it out," Jack offered. "I mean, whats the worst that could happen?"

"Don't know if you heard, but Riddick escaped," Johns scowled at her.

"Yeah, but he's gone," Frye dismissed it. "Why would he come back now that he's free?"

"Maybe just to mess with us. Maybe he'd rather have a bit of real protein instead of packaged. Maybe just to skullfuck you in your sleep." Johns was staring at River while he answered the question. There was a silence and River tried to shove the images away from her mind. Willed her body to stop cringing and her skin to stop crawling.

"Sounds like a real charmer," Shazza spoke up.

"Sounds like Monty," River corrected. Shazza looked at her with confusion and Zeke started to chuckle at that.

"Bloody hell, if we're dealing with Monty then I'll make an effort to stay as far from him as I can. Ripped my skin off when I bumped into his desk."

"Thought we'd need to go to Alliance medics," Shazza agreed. She was still looking a bit confused but no one seemed to question it. No one but Johns who looked all too interested and Frye who kept staring with disbelief. "Bout killed him, I know he would have if Sarge hadn't come in."

"No wonder you lost the damn war," Johns snorted. "Alright then, everyone staying, stay, everyone going, lets go."

River stayed where she was. It wasn't wise to follow the Stone and the Devil right now. More important things to do with Zeke and Shazza. Stories to tell and rooms to clear away and reinforce. The whispers were for the stage now. Reminding them of lines forgotten and the next act. Never ending stories of war and suffering. War stories.

"Robin, mind helping me clear some stuff up?"

"Clear like crystal," River followed Shazza and Zeke towards their container. Jack had already gone off towards the scout party instead of the wreckage and Paris was much too wilted and frightened to risk his neck over young flesh.

"Mind explaining why you'd compare Monty to Riddick?" the woman asked. Her arms were crossed and she looked mighty insulted by the whole thing. Her husband was waiting behind her with his own scowl but a genuine worry that Riddick could be a more violent version of Monty.

"Wasn't Daddy's at first," River hummed. "Was someone else, someone secreted away beneath stone and glass, trained to take out those who'd disagree with the light of civilization. All because she was a reader." Zeke's face turned white as tales of witchcraft and hoodoo fluttered up from his grandmother's memories. "Tried to hone her, sharper, quicker...never taught her witchcraft. No such thing." Shazza's eyes narrowed for a second and the thought of an orange tabby cat came up. "Lasagna is not for cats. And Riddick is not...well, technically speaking he is as much a murderer as any soldier or assassin. Bit the hand and was sent to face execution."

"Sayin' you weren't Mal's at first, said you had another family before him, they know about all this?" Zeke asked.

"The progenitors knew she was different, odd, too much like her grandmother to fit into high society or become a country club socialite." River leaned against a steel wall. "Were glad when she was selected by the Academy. Never cared to know, not like Simon."

"Your brother."

"Yes. He came in, set of a bomb in the directors office," she giggled at the thought of it. "Got out and found ourselves on Serenity."

"So, you're a government experiment who happens to be a smuggler and commits acts of terrorism?" Shazza asked. "Sounds like Sarge."

"And Riddick is as Monty," River pushed. "She swears it, would swear it to her grave. Can see what others can not and hear intent from a mile off."

"Yeah, well," Zeke pushed off. "I better get to digging for that silly wench."

"Unless you bully Paris into it," River suggested innocently. She stared at her nails before looking just past them to Zeke. "Will thank her at the end of it."

~!~

"Keep on digging," Zeke snorted from under the umbrella. The pitiful whine of the rich man came from beneath a tarp and the Rim born browncoat ignored it in favor of a cigar and his glass of port.

Clever girl, keeping them occupied while he wandered around. He'd heard the words she'd given to Zeke and Shazza. Smelled the discomfort as she listened to Johns glorify his own thoughts. Heard Jackie and the elder woman start welding the container back together while River headed towards a lone container a half league off. Might be she'd need some help, then again, she might not be too opposed to having some fun. She ducked behind the container he'd been held captive in less than an hour before and he went after her. Maybe she didn't exactly feel like walking.

"Walking is dull," she hummed when he came into sight. Her white blanket was laid out again and she was in just enough to be clothed. Boots were off and the socks are following suit, rumpled around her knees before she breathes in and reaches over into her bag. "Apologizes, she has always loved lazy afternoons."

"Can't say I disagree," he came to kneel down in front of her.

A slim leg is lifted ever so slightly, offerings to the Beast as she calls him. Her skin is cool compared to the rest of the world, even through the knit cotton he's peeling off of her. Exposing damp skin to his touch and to the sun before he moves to the other one and repeats the process. He doesn't let go of her leg once he's done though. Beautiful is staring at him with a smile on her lips, hiding secrets in her eyes and waiting for him to make a move.

"You could be a real bad influence on me," she hums before leaning back on her elbows. "Miles to go, and hours in which to play under the sun. Become king of the sandbox. Slay the dragon, win the princess."

"Dragons aren't my thing," Riddick grinned, moving so he was between those long legs. Firm and soft on his sides as he leans down so his lips meet hers. Barely touching as he speaks his next words. "More of a Beast looking for Beauty."

Her skin is still smelling of exotic fruit and warmth and her mouth is soft. The oasis in the desert is right in front of him, laying beneath him while limbs wrap around his waist and shoulders. Slow and playful for the both of them. She's never been touched and he's never let himself forget about the rest of the world. Not to say he isn't keeping his ears open, but those here know and ignore.

There's a nip to his ear and a growl comes up from his chest as a giggle comes from hers.

"Distracting thoughts. Hard to focus on the feel of it when he thinks only of steel bars."

"You don't think of the same?" He asked.

"Not when I can help it. Easy to think on other things when there is a man's breath drifting across her skin and lips following close behind." There was a kiss on his jaw and even though he could see the knives and the gun sitting just there, he felt at ease with her so close to his neck. "Not when she could explore his skin as she did before. Would see him, his scars, his skin, like for like."

"Ain't got a bikini to hide myself under," Riddick turned to lay on the blanket. She sun was bright above him and the shape of River didn't do much to block the light out. Not until he shifted just enough to be in the shadow of the ship. Let him see her glowing under the light and watch as her hair shifted and fell when she moved to sit in his lap. "Like seein' you there."

"Best seat in the house," she agreed. Her fingers were moving to the edge of his shirt before they hooked and she started to pull it off of him. Like for like would have left him still dressed; Seemed reasonable to let her have a bit more. "Wants the boost to his ego. Wants to revel in being the first body she has witnessed as a woman."

"It's a guy thing," he answered. As her hands explored him, Riddick let his hands slid up her thighs and curl around the soft flesh of her ass. Her breath came quick and her nails scraped his skin as her hands curled into fists. "Can't help myself sometimes."

"Appreciates the honesty," She breathed. River leaned down and her hair tickled his skin as lips found his chest. "The honesty of Richard Beathan Riddick."

He was trying very hard not to give in to the nature of things. Trying not to be a beast who would take what he wanted. Assert his dominance and his place as her alpha male. With every kiss she laid upon his skin, his need strengthened and lessened. Content to let her sit in his lap and worship each scar and stretch of skin. Content and wanting more than the dancing nerves she gave him. Wanted more than just the weight of her on his lap. River kissed up along his chest before kissing her way back down. Knew she would get more than she gave, It was the way of things on this day.

"You know what you're doing?"

"Quick study," she kissed along his stomach. Deft hands went to work at the button of his pants and her lips travelled lower. "Lived with a companion for three years." Another kiss and a spark of interest in his brain as she pulled at the zipper. "Many things were learned."

Including the right way to tease a man. Study could rarely beat experience though, so when Richard lifted his hips to let her reveal the rest of his form, she paused. She paused out of surprise, out of curiousity, out of the sensation of pride he had and the unreasonable worry that entered her mind. She knew something like that, while not average in size, would fit, but to see it standing in front of her and to know the girth of it in comparison to the...

"You alright?" He was trying to keep his pride in check as he asked. Genuinely concerned as the worry that she really wasn't ready came into his head.

"She is...at a loss for words." She shifted to sit between his legs. "Bigger than was expected. Bigger than average." The pride grew and the worry settled into a steady thrum until she began to reach for it, slim fingers coming into contact with something so different from herself. Soft, not as velvet, but suede, and warm and pulsing beneath her fingertips as she caressed it. A bead of moisture leaked out from the tip as theory came into her mind. River leaned forward, knowing without knowing that the image of herself bending down to taste him made the muscles tighten even more. The feeling her hands on his thighs and of hot breath on his skin made him fight to keep his hands at his sides rather than fisting in her hair.

The lust she felt was not fed to her, but her own, fueled by the scent and the feel of him. Her tongue traced along his skin and the taste was another layer. A primal layer that made the girl that truly was come to the surface and taste more. Let her revel in the sounds he made and take pride when he finally did reach his hands into her hair. Slipping a hand beneath the cotton to feel her own moisture, River switched hands and gasped when his grip went too tight. Richard was growling now, purring as her tongue swirled and her essence mixed into his skin where her mouth could not reach.

"Fucking hell," he grit out. Too close to finishing and much too far from where he wanted to be. River climbed back into his lap and kissed him hard, hand still on him as his own dipped into her bottoms and set her alight. His hips were moving against hers as their kiss became wild and reason was abandoned. There was here and now, and only the end mattered. An end brought on only by the other.

The was color, brilliant and blue, white hot in her mind and soul as he let out a roar. A roar followed close by a scream from her lips that had everything to do with joy and pleasure. There was no pain in the light he brought to her, nor she to him. The blinding blue faded as her muscles gave out and she fell slack against him. The second time was much better than the first. The blue much better than the white.

"Beautiful, I'm seein' stars."

"Liar. Saw only one. Just as she did." His laugh was slow and lazy as she put her arms around his neck and shoulders. "Won't think less of him for enjoying the feel of a woman's body in his arms."

The Beast didn't reply with words. He pulled her against his body and fell just shy of cuddling. Hands were softer in her hair and gentler when a tangle was caught. It was the two of them beneath three suns and seeing only one that didn't exist. There were no words between them; none were needed. Not until the gunshot went off by the graves. Both snapped from the haze and River shimmed back into her skirt while the Beast zipped and grabbed his shirt. To be thrown on as they ran to investigate. Screaming now, of Shazza and of Jack as both tried and hesitated to go into the pit that was dug.

"Help them!" River called as she dove to grab the elder woman. Jack began to help her pull Shazza back while Riddick went to grab whomever he could. There was blood and hunger in the pit as Riddick grabbed the only one living. Only fractions of seconds passed before two men came back out, one with a hand that was not his.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Shazza screamed as she dove for her husband. He was shaking, staring at the hand as the Valley came back to him. Shazza was trying to ignore it, trying to focus on her husband and on the creature that had devoured the predator.

"Wasn't fucking human," Riddick growled out as he too sat on the ground and stared at the pit. Footsteps and shouts were coming, the sound of gunshots ringing as Johns fired the big gauge in their direction.

All of them dodged and only through the actions of the Stone pilot did Johns stop shooting at them all. It didn't stop him from giving chase, didn't stop him from backhanding River and pushing Shazza nearly into the pit as he dove at the Beast. River swayed from the force and the pain of the sunlight in their eyes as Johns beat the man. Too loud, too many voice and the whispers were whispers no longer. The dreams were waking with the scent of blood and flesh not their own. New flesh, flesh they no longer had and wanted so desperately. The brains were the best. Carried the memories into the one who devoured and made them Crave more.

River passed out onto the sand, hot earth and cold whispers meeting her as fury and Furya floated above.

~!~!~!~

~!~!~

Holy fuckin' shit. I wrote most of this in like, one night. 30 pages yo! So, ya know. There's some continuity errors, I'm sure, but, altered deaths, so...no continuity errors? Whatever. Also, made ya care about little Ali, didn't I? Hehehehe, won't you all be crushed?

Beathan is a Scots Gaelic name meaning "Life" making Riddick the King of Life.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ung jeong jia ching jien soh," River pushed herself up from where she'd been laying upon the earth. All around sat the survivors, all save for two who stood at the far end of the container arguing in front of the children.

"Easy does it," Shazza hurried over. "Been out for a fair bit."

"Where is..." River's head spun the wool into yarn from the floating memories. She was getting better at weaving things back together. Knitting up the events as they went over how they could have, should have gone. "What is going on?"

"Been trying to convince Johnny boy that Riddick ain't the one who killed Paris," she explained. The angle and clarity with which she saw the woman was making her reevaluate sitting upright. Certainly there was damage, there was always damage when the head struck any solid object; the degree was unknown without appropriate medical knowledge or tools.

"Frye's wanting to leave him here, start working on the skiff." Shazza's mind flared to life with the cool thoughts of water and of flight. "Oh! That's right, they found a settlement, nothing there, but there's a pump and a skiff. Nothing else, we can get off this rock and get home."

River didn't wish to crush the hope blossoming there. Who's colors were flying on that skiff? The man who survived the whispers would take it and fly with her; the color mattered very much to River. Full of crimson and hate or frozen blue and joy. Wouldn't matter once the dying started. The girl they changed would let herself play in the rain and show her true talents. One thing to see a girl armed, another to see her destroy. Destruction was all they wanted. Everything would burn and scream when the Company returned to see the crops. Growing beneath the earth until they were ready to go on to the battle field, feeding on minds and souls, mother and father cleaning up after the children went to sleep.

"Not human enough," River settled against the beam behind her. "Where is Jack?"

"Harassing Johns no doubt. The kids are a bit shook up, seeing the blood and the beatings," Shazza scrubbed at her face with her free hand. "Zeke's in the front, trying to get the war out of his head."

Real life nightmares flickered through her brain at a constant now. Daddy's nightmares of war were distorted. Memories taking voices they'd never use and colors that shouldn't be into his head every night. Zoe's were few and far between, though more vivid and violent. Accurate down to the last button on a shirt and the feel of blood on her face. Zeke had none of that in his mind. Zeke had fear, aggression, rage, paranoia, all of them fighting in his head as screams and scents flickered in and out. No color, no scent, to touch. Black and white. Friend and foe. Best to be far from variables until they filtered back into his head.

Frye came out from the container where Riddick was being held and gave the two of them a scathing look.

"We're going to look. Jus to make sure he didn't scare you guys into silence."

"You're kidding?" Shazza looked at her and the disbelief only matched the shock that a girl seven years her junior was talking to her like that. "You think we're _fuhn pi_? Trusting a man who'd smack a woman down a hill after shooting at all of us, but won't even consider maybe something left those teethmakrs in the chunk-"

"This isn't up for discussion," Frye cut her off. "It's just a quick check, just to see what happened."

The woman left them and began towards the place Zeke had been digging. There was a rope over her arm and she was calling for Imam to help her. She called for Zeke as well, anger coming hot and sharp from her before she called instead for Johns. The noises in the back cabin stopped for a minute.

"Suoyou de dou shidang," Shazza pushed herself up. "Captain's hardly older than you and talkin' down on everyone like she's the top."

"Not a captain," River hummed from her place. "Missing insignia. Captain's body is on the pyre, beside Owens."

"What the hell is she then?" Shazza asked.

"Docking pilot." River let herself move slowly to rise. "Must find something for the pain in her head. Hate them so, make things louder in her mind, can't focus for the lights. Dancing, like fairies in the sky."

"Right, don't care what Johns says," Shazza helped her to stand. "Meds are in the back and you are halfway to unconscious again."

"Two out of three cells are empty," River let herself be maneuvered to the back room. "Must recharge."

"Not something ominous, is it?" Shazza asked. "That skiff needs a powercell..."

"Her own," River shook her head. The protein and bile in her stomach protested and nearly flew upon the sand. "Need to lie down."

"Few more steps."

Johns was not happy to see them come into the container. Riddick was not happy to see them come into the container. More fully chained this time, hands held fast to either side and anger for the scent of her blood and illness in the air. His without being his, like for like, equal in all things. Shazza ignored the Devil when he scowled and bit with angry words. His fault, no need to be present if the girl wasn't broken. If his fist hadn't struck her head, there would be no blood and no concussion, no need for the medkit in the crate full of hygiene supplies.

"Just make it quick," He settled on. He was shaking, needing, soon he would leave for drops and the cool whispers. For arms of silk around his soul, never knowing it was polyester and soon to melt. "Frye's got some idea about checking to see what killed Paris."

"You're going to tell me that you aren't going to blame Riddick for this one?" Shazza asked. The asprin was in her hands, half open and waiting to help the girl. She turned to shake a quartet out. "Or will that only be on paper?"

"Paper most likely," Johns came a bit closer. Frye could be heard shouting for them again.

"_Lao bahn niang_," River sighed out before she took the pills. Sticking in her throat until Shazza handed her a canteen. "_Jien huo_. Go, she will stay here, and she will rest."

"Don't you dare fall asleep," Shazza scowled. "Won't have that _jao gao_ on my head when Sarge comes through."

"Will try," River nodded. "Silence will help the ringing and the whispers."

"Just keep yourself away from that son of a bitch," Johns spoke up. The smolder was creeping onto his face with the scent and stick of molasses. Bad molasses, turned from butter left in the jar. Rotting milk and sugar. "Didn't mean to hit you darlin', saw someone hurt, saw him and the two of you screaming. Just acted."

"_Chiu se_," River spoke politely. Could have been a prayer, thought it was a kindness and forgiveness. Shazza knew. Kept quiet though. Smiled with pride and let him think it was of the family sort. Proud she'd apologized. He bowed in return and followed Shazza out, full of smug and smarmy thoughts. Too proud to hear even if she shouted. "Preferably in a fire."

"Ain't nice words," the Beast chuckled from his place. Across the container with his back against the wall. "What is it?"

"Mix of Mandarin and Cantonese of earth that was. Dialects mixed and new words brought in." She shut her eyes and let herself breath in. The river was overflowing and there was too much to focus on with the family so far from home. Worry and fear and scorn clung to the back of her tongue. "Could have been more explicit, but too easy to know it wasn't nice. She has a habit of letting the truth slip out in the girls tone." He clanged his shackle and she jerked. Sleep was sneaking up upon her and winning. "Thank you. The river is rising, murmuring in her head as the world spins."

"Gettin' wooly on me Beautiful," the beast rumbled. Precious stones glittering in the gravel that poured into the waters. Attempting to fill what had no bottom. "You know something about those things under there, don't you?"

"Know the echoes. Know the hunger of man and beast for power and destruction," River lifted a hand to her head. Knew the Beast's intent to keep her wakeful and aware. He would seek his own information as he did so; to keep them alive was all that mattered. The hope that Johns would be devoured was fleeting. Dismissed as quickly as it came. Roaches survived everything.

"What are they?" Richard asked. The feel of wild order came from his mind and the sand began to fade from reality. The scent of the beast in her senses combined with the emotions and intent, gave her an anchor to judge the world. He amended seconds later. "What were they?"

"Men. Men and women and children, test subjects and employees of the company. Secrets in the earth, found them out, didn't know the words." She pushed herself upright and gave small thanks to the verse that her stomach did not empty itself. "Poked at the secrets until they became them. Altered, devoured, chewed on bones until there were none left. Truth was discovered and the secret was farmed. To rain down on their enemies with hunger and fury. Brains are the best part, remind them of who they used to be."

"We won't have much time once we get to the settlement, will we?"

"Not sure. Waiting for darkness to fall before they hunt in earnest. Cannot be sure of a day's length or of the location of the base. Implications that the nests and the research could be as far from one another as we are to the other side of the planet. Burrowing in the dark and flying to other territory."

Screams erupted from the spire as the hunger lurched and the terror sank into the earth. Dangling like bait on a hook and the girl pitched forward from it.

"Think on words," the girl begged. "Think on stones and upon truths."

"Had this guy back at Strikeforce, Joker called him, never woke up on time. Always go the rest of us in trouble, latrine duty, cleaning up after everyone else, polishing boots." She could see the place. Steel of a different quality than her own academy. More blood in the air and different minds in charge. Power over science. Force equal to intelligence and subtlety. Could see the reflection of the beast in his memories as he passed mirrors and bright surfaces. The world was still in color and his eyes were dark and full of secrets. "One day, we woke up a bit earlier than we were supposed to, Simmons popped the top off of his lighter, dumped it out on Joker's bed. Grabs up someone elses and two seconds later, Joker's up."

"Slightly crispy," River laughed. Nearly a year of polishing boots and cleaning the head would wear away at anyone. "Only injury was to pride."

"Never slept through again." He chuckled, fully aware of his next words and the path he'd set in them. "Kept getting in trouble though. Always someone fucking up."

"Would the Beast do it again?" she asked. "Would Richard Beathan Riddick re-enlist, rise up and gain attention?"

"Always get attention for something, big beast like me," he teased. "Always end up in the same place too. Can't ignore open pain like that. Wasn't as smart then, didn't think of pulling a Miranda."

Not like her captain did. Younger than Daddy was, only one above Simon and five above her. Knew now that it was her captain. Clever enough to put the pieces together and smart enough to say nothing.

"Met her handler that day. The man they would have paired her with had she completed her training." To stand was no great feat now. The spire and it's fellows were calming and Frye's terror was failing to be genuine now. "Neither interest in mortal pleasures nor soul to be swayed for power. Ideals held tight and no action without the good of the Alliance at the end."

"Sinful little thing like you being stuck with a monk?" Riddick snorted at the idea in his mind and she couldn't help but catch onto his mirth as she came closer to him. "Sounds worse than the slam."

"Had he captured her, it would have been. Opened his eyes though. Saw the wave and let her float away. Holds new ideals now. Not from a book or from words, but from experience and knowing." Hands caressed the side of the Beast's face and she sat down upon his lap once more. Best seat in the house would be hers for as long as they travelled together. "She seeks out her own now. Headed for the Sidhe system."

"The what?" The was an emptiness in his mind as he tried to put her words to sense. A lingering memory ran whenever he looked for it and she wondered if he'd scared ti away with anger and fury.

"Sidhe System, her grandparents came from there. Stretched between Alfheim and Aide and settled between Asgard and Somnia."

Riddick was staring at her with too many things fluttering through his head. The top of which was that she was crazy, followed closely by the thought that nothing existed past Somnia. Somnia didn't even exist, the whole system had been wiped out for almost two decades and almost everything around it had followed suit.

"Knows she sounds crazy," she sighed. "But she will still go to look. Answers there to questions she cannot figure to ask. Not the first time she has found what does not exist. Look where she sits now?"

"In the lap of a murderer and a psychopath?"

"Is what they made him to be," she waved the thoughts away. "Existing is not living. She knows this. He knows this. Left because she was expected to be what they wanted her to be. To continue with their ways." She smiled faintly and a small laugh escaped her lips. "Fuck them. Will be what she is."

"Yeah? What's that?" He was amused by the words spoken too often and believed only by a few. The Beast picked the truth out in her scent and his amusement was at her honesty and his own doubt.

"Will let him know when she figures it out." She patted him on the shoulders and kissed him softly before rising up and moving back to her place. "Will know more when the dying starts."

"Hate to break it to you, but it started a while back."

They fell quiet as the sounds of voices came, growing in strength and bringing fear and worry with them. Shouts resounded and little feet were fast on sand and on steel as Ali came running into the container. His glance was purely out of reflex; knew where his relief from fear was and placed himself into her arms in seconds.

"Ali," she whispered. "Hush, hush. Stay in the light and we will have safety."

The boy could not speak. Refused. His fear had grip him too tightly and he was too young to know a way to push past it. Floated all around him in a cloud and the girl couldn't help but pull it from him, hands gripping color in the air and tugging. Moving it away and ignore her own wonder as it helped. Footsteps were coming too close and shouts were filling the air. The River wrapped her arms about and continued to wash it away. The Beast gave other things to put in it's place. Determination, safety, patience. Johns came in, gun cocked and scowling until he saw Ali in the arms of his prize. Two prizes in one container and the tools to keep both in check. His lucky day.

"Perhaps now he believes what we tried to tell him?" River scowled. "Now that children are terrified and his woman is screaming?"

"Ain't my god damned woman," Johns nearly shouted. "Forgiving the sin against him, but I ain't exactly lookin' to let a con run around killing everyone. Why don't you go take Ali back to his kind, got words for this son of a bitch."

River scowled at all in the man's mind. Dark skin and different books made of a different species. Less worthy of love and respect. Unless they had morphine with them. Then they were useful. Unless they'd killed someone. Then they became a paycheck. She stood up, coaxing Ali to come with her into the light. It would be safe so long as they stayed within the light. Limited time to be safe with the hunger rising. The digging began and the blood was waking them from fever dreams. The Stone was painting itself the strong victim and persevering captain as Zeke clung to his sanity and Shazza tried to remain neutral and collected. Imam and his boys prayed in a circle, bowing and murmuring as fear clouded around them. The man of spirit was still strong, still held faith, and that kept the fear of the others at bay. A man's faith was not the same as a women's reassurance. Ali clung to her still and Jack was hurrying over when she saw River coming to join the rest of them. A need to prove herself was overwhelming and the fear had been fed to the need.

"You doin' okay sis?" Jack asked. "When you went down...I kind of wondered if you'd get back up."

"_Jieh Jieh_ is well, has suffered blows much worse at the hands of Alliance." River set herself down in the chair once occupied by Zeke, by Paris, by kings and lords of centuries past. A throne for a monarch of a kingdom long dead. Ali set himself beside her feet and sat upon his hands to keep thumbs from entering his mouth. Only six, only a child. "What news of the skiff?"

"Frye says we need a powercell to run diagnostics and figure out how many we'd need to power it."

"Only one?" River asked. "Better to take many, power has no need here."

"Take it up with her." Jack shurgged and sat down. "Either way, we need Shazza or someone to get the pump working and someone else to drag the damn power cells to the settlement."

River didn't rise to the taunt of foul language. Normal words heard every day, perhaps not by one so young, but children were rarely on Serenity. Rim wasn't a shining beacon either.

"Johns will release Riddick," River hummed. "Plans to slave him out before he sells him off. To thine own ass first. Do not let him learn you are a girl. Has broken plans for girls. Pain and blood and sex floating about in his head like stars."

"You're really crazy," Jack settled on. Not mean, not ill spirited, a statement of fact coupled with laughter.

"Yes, still right though. Keep it secret and safe, and Jack will stay safe from one monster."

"That mean I can go check out Riddick?" Jack asked. "He's so...cool."

"Don't get shot," River laughed. "Would like you to meet _gege_."

Jack was too far and not paying any mind to River' or her words. Someone had given her permission to investigate the beast. To indulge the curiosity building inside of her. No more stolen glances, no more...River paused. Jack had seen what had passed between Beautiful and the Beast. So sneaky and mind so quiet as she glimpsed and watched. Nothing given to Johns, to Stone, kept it to herself and wondered silently if it was so bad to be a girl, would she have like? Would she gain more from becoming as he was? Who could she take as her own?

River prayed he might hear the exhaustion in her mind. The Beast needed to know before Jack arrived; would have told her if he did. Couldn't let him...please let her thoughts carry into his mind and soul. Let him hear from her.

Riddick snorted, not from the scent of Johns' self rightious bullshit. Not from the lies or the bloodlust coming off of the man; he'd gotten pretty fucking used to those. This was something else. Something urgent, a warning to tell him something was coming. Not a predator, not a real danger, but something troublesome. Something that knew too much.

Jack's scent flickered intot he mix, just outside the door while Johns finished posturing.

"Truth is, I'm tired of chasin' ya." Johns hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and his shotgun was slung over his shoulder. "Figured you could have died in that crash, maybe just move on. Maybe even Say you're Paris."

"And get a bunch of fuckin' charges dropped on my head? Give you a new reason to hunt me?"

"God dammit, I'm trying to make a deal with you here. I let you go, no bit, no chains, you help us get off this rock and I don't see you do it."

"Want my opinion?" Riddick asked instead. "Ghost me. Make sure I don't get shiv happy on your wannabe ass." There were more than enough reasons before they crashed. Hitting women and children just added a few more black marks. The money was too good to kill him now. The money was too good and the weight of dragging the cells And his head was too much for a hype. That's why Johns didn't shoot him. Would never shoot him.

"I want you to remember this moment. How this could have gone down," Johns said a few seconds later. His ears were still ringing but that wasn't as big a deal as the sense of urgency that kept flickering into his head. Not a summons but a warning. "But it didn't."

Always forgetting he was slower than Riddick was. The shotgun was in his hands, cocked and pointed at the mercs head. It took a helluva lot of willpower not to blow the man's head off. The warning turned into a flash of sex and watching eyes and Riddick pumped the shells from the gun.

"Rememeber this moment," Riddick told the merc.

The gun was tossed to the ground and Riddick left the container. His goggles were in hand when he exited, sliding over his skin minutes later and letting him see the world. Johns was shaking too much to function, waiting for him to leave completely so he could dose up. Needed it now, and fast. The fear was creeping in and worry that he should have just dragged the cells instead of leaving his neck open. Riddick shook his head at it all. Knew the man far too well to be comfortable with him. Riddick paused a step away from the door and looked up. Jack was looking down at him with wonder and suddenly the watching eyes had a face.

"Get a good show?" he asked. Shock snapped into the scent and he continued on his way. Walking free without worry of a gun firing down on him. Shazza and Zeke were watching him, one waving him over and lifting a bottle for him. Water or whiskey, didn't matter right now. Prospectors now, still acted like soldiers though. He could see it easier now. See the way they sat, the weight on their belts distributed just so. He could see the way the had everything organized and set up. Could see they'd been on the losing side too.

"Bit of the water," Shazza explained when he took it. "Sarge's girl thought we aught to collect what we could until we managed to get the pump working."

"Never seen someone jump for a sargent," he replied.

"Wasn't a sargent by the end," Zeke spoke up. He sounded rough. "Only officer left by the end. Starts up again, he'll be a general, like he should have been."

Beautiful was coming closer, the kid clinging to her skirt like she was his mother and the only steady thing in the world. He'd heard the whispers from the other boys. Ali was new, only been with them a few weeks and missing his family. Kid wasn't new to death, met his share of raiders and soldiers back home. Still, seein' him clinging to River brought in all kinds of thoughts he shouldn't even recognize.

"Best to bring twice what Frye suggests," Beautiful told them bluntly. "Frye thinks to use one, to draw things out and get them under her thumb before telling everyone what is needed. Hopes they may die off and her secrets will not spill out."

"Hate when she gets all creepifying like that," Zeke shook his head. "What are you suggesting then _shao jah_?"

"Team building excessive? Weight distribution? Competition?" she shrugged and offered Ali a small protein biscuit from a pouch on her belt. The little boy shook his head and buried it into her skirt. It came to Riddick next and he shrugged before accepting. "He will eat soon enough, or fall to exhaustion."

"So two cells and a kid?" Riddick asked. "Sounds like a picnic."

"Sounds like an excuse to give you two," Shazza laughed. "Keep the kid busy and give him a place to sit without getting crushed. So long as you don't mind using the...hamburger sled?"

She jerked her head over to the one they'd used to get the bodies from the ship to the pyre. The kid was already shaking like a leaf from everything happening. He could smell the fear coming off the kid, brushed away almost as quick as it cme by that soft cool feeling from before. He caught River's eye as she bent to talk to Ali. More than a reader if she was sending him warnings and calming down the flock.

Things were going to get worse before they got better though, and softening the blow wasn't going to help anyone.

"You mean the corpse slider?" Riddick asked. "Sure, pulled worse behind me."

"God, I was trying..." Shazza shook her head. "No, no, I've done this game before with Her daddy, I'm not playing it with you." She stood upright and dusted herself off. "I'm going to start unhooking the power cells before Frye blows us up trying to do it herself."

Shazza walked off towards the prow of the ship with the scent of frustration trailing after her. Riddick turned to look at Zeke and River, the first shrugging while the second rolled her eyes. Sarge must have been a difficult man to work with. He had a feeling again, the feeling that his imaginings weren't even close to the truth of things.

~!~

Jack was walking exceptionally close to him as they plodded through the sand. The extra cell had been chalked up to a breakdown in communication and as much as Frye tried to get them to go back, not a single person seemed to agree with her. There was a feeling tickling in the back of his head, always seemed to be some kind of feeling pushing through and shifting just slightly if he thought on it. Zeke was next to him, helping to pull the sled and the kid through the sand while River rambled on about buildings and schematics with the kid. Smarter than a tack, that kid. Getting him to focus on numbers and hard facts got rid of the tang in his scent. Fear and kids were never a thing he liked. Didn't like it anymore than he liked seeing Johns and Frye at the front.

"Safest place in a Sigma 7 long haul cruiser?" River asked the boy behind him.

"With, or without turrets?"

"With, but primary focus in plasma weaponry."

"Midway between the engine and the bridge, opposite of the infirmary unless there is a Delta 3 walk in freezer within the kitchen."

"Hmm, what if there is faulty wiring with the external lock?" River asked the little boy.

"There are exactly three emergency release interfaces within the fridge and two analog handles to open the doors." Ali wasn't even thinking on the things underground anymore. He still knew they were there, still knew they ate people, but hard facts were a comfort to the boy who was supposed to sequester himself away in a mountain. "Miss Robin?"

"Yes?"

"What sort of ship does your father have?"

"He has a Firefly," River smiled. Johns was listening in along with most everyone else in the caravan. "Series 3 with a trace compression block engine. Don't know that you have them in this sector."

"See one every so often," Frye volunteered. "Merc ships, right?"

"_Tien sha_! _Chwen yao nu..._" River cried. "Know less about ships than she does of landing them!"

Riddick felt Jack moving closer to him before he heard her; River was going off on the blonde, Ali backing her up like a pup defending it's mother. The funny tingle before she asked if he was as bored as she was. It was a crazy thing to have her giving him cues with her brain; never met a reader like that before. Jack was still asking him though.

"She's thinking about a Firebug," Riddick answered. Loud enough that everyone could hear them while River took a breath. She was being calmed by Shazza just a bit while Frye was being comforted for landing as best she could. "Firefly is civilian transport, moving families from one place to another. Got a real leisurely pace for those who like to cruise along. Firebugs are usually slave ships, high security, mass cryo banks, three armory lockers at different points of the ship. Military used to use them."

"Perhaps if Miss Fey had simply said as such, rather than criticizing the captain's flight skills," Imam offered.

"_Yeh lu jwo duo luh whei jian guay,_" River grumlbed to herself before her voice rose in volume. "She was awake during landing. Heard everything that went on, every instruction from Owens as she crawled to an unbroken cryo."

No one missed the way Frye turned white as a sheet.

"_How shi sung chung_, Let's just focus on getting the cells to the ship, _dong ma_? Alright?" Shazza had stepped in between Frye and River, hands up to keep the peace. "Tired, hungry, and I for one am ready drink my own piss at this point."

It summoned a slight laugh from the group and they continued on. Zeke was slowing down, thin air and a smoker's lungs weren't anybody's friend. Even Riddick was having trouble with it; a break to argue wasn't quite enough.

"Didja kill off a bunch of guards the first time you broke out?" Jack asked. Kid didn't have a single thought for tact, did she?

"Yup," he answered, continuing to pull the sled. "Had to."

"Was it messy? Heard you talkin' about the sweet spot earlier. Gushing and stuff, you know?" Jack was walking a bit closer to him now. "Seems messy, like it'd leave a trail. Course, you probably don't mind it."

"Gotta make sure it's not in line of sight." Riddick adjusted his grip. "Gotta make sure you're not in a place with surveillance too. Otherwise, you run into problems. Got more bodies to hide if someone spots you doing what you don't want them to see."

"So, someplace private?" Jack asked.

Not an once of tact or subtlety; made it hard to pick the same up maybe. The settlement came into sight as Jack came to a pause in her questions. She didn't see it yet, maybe River did, had no way of knowing what she was really like. Had the suspicion she wasn't entirely sure herself. Never would be maybe. Not without some time to think someplace far from the world. Jack was waiting for an answer from him.

"Might want to think on survival before you start hunting kid," He answered. Didn't hear what her question was; didn't care enough to listen right now. "Ain't a point to it all if you don't have a reason either."

"Lookin' at ya funny ain't one of them," Zeke added on. "Need an ideal. Something intangible and solid all at the same time." He looked over at Riddick. The man knew he was slowing down. "Shoulda quit smoking during the war."

"What if his funny look is an act against my ideal?"

"Then you will die, cold and alone in a pool of your own blood." River's voice was as cold as the corpse she described. It was a warning and a promise to anyone who knew what to look for. "The price one pays."

"Could you be a bit less spooky?" Frye asked. She was irritated, showed in her scent and in her stance. There was fear in there too. The warning was hers and Jack's, she just didn't know it. "And you, get the hell away from him, don't know what your sister is thinking."

Stuck in the middle of a pissing contest between women, lugging dead weight while a shotgun was just waiting for him to set a toe out of the undefined line. The last bit wasn't unusual, he'd been dealign with that his whole life. Lugging around powercells wasn't new either; he'd told his CO to fuck himself a few times and got the shittiest jobs for it. It was the power struggle that was new. Women had a funny way about them. Subtleties he still couldn't pick up on and head games to drive anyone mad. It was rare they got physical, but Riddick would be lying if he wasn't looking forward to the one that was going to break out. That tingle again. Disdain, insult, bit of impatience; matched look on River's face and her scent just perfectly.

The kid on the back of the sled got summoned over by Imam. They were going to pray while Shazza and Zeke worked on the pump. Gave them something to do he guessed. Kept Ali from the bad influence of Miss Robin. He put on a good show, had the compassion and the sympathy for her, but it didn't hide the scent. Didn't hide the way his mouth would twitch whenever she walked past and her legs flashed. River began to walk towards the largest building, Jack just behind her and looking confused as shit.

"Go see what's around," Johns told him. "You take that half, I'll handle this half."

He knew it wasn't worth it to punch the hype fuck in his face, didn't stop him from wanting it though. Besides, might be something halfway useful lying around and he didn't need Johns hovering if he found a good knife.

~!~

"If you breath a word of what you saw in those containers, you will die, right here, with no one to take your corpse back to your parents." River took a step back from where she'd corned the younger girl. Didn't like bullying when reason worked so much faster, but some did not see the trees, much less the forest. "Private things are meant to be private. Intimate acts are not for the world to see. Not for you to see!"

"I didn't," She paused at the narrowed eyes and the knife in River's hand. "How'd you know?"

"Heard you. Not here but here," she tapped Jack's forehead. The girl wasn't getting it. Might never. "You are young, and to be curious about sex is natural, but not for watching without permission. Can never breath a single word. Johns will use them both, turn them both in for bounty and they will send her back to the tables, to needles in her eyes and fingers in her body. Digging for things untouched by man, always digging."

"Robin?" Jack was above her now, moving closer to where she knelt on the ground. "I'm sorry, I swear, not a word, just, don't go crazy please."

Laughter bubbled up from her unbidden. Not hysteric, but sad and very close to breaking.

"I can not go back there. Can not," River shook her head. "Wondering If she is even fit to see the verse on her own."

"Why shouldn't you?" Jack's question was bordering on indignant. "You got as much a right as anyone, don't you? Who gives a damn about some lab rats or our apparently dickish and controlling brother?" There was a pause and a hesitation in her mind. "Course, if you wanted some company, and I swear, no more peeking without asking first, maybe, maybe I could tag along?"

River giggled at that. Promising to ask to peek in hopes of seeing more than one rock. How strange the verse was.

"Must promise to be silent," River offered. "Permission from both must be granted."

"Swear it." Jack was helping her to stand now, feeling accepted and fearful at once. Strange girl. "So, should we start looking for stuff or do you have some kind of plan?"

"Possibility to boot up the computer systems, low, but possible. Need to research data before the hunger comes."

The room had simple mechanics inside. A school for children, covered in drawings and simple alphabets. Nothing in Mandarin, most all in Latin or English with bits of french decorating the walls. Pots of earth sat on the window sills, withered from lack of sun and water. Dark stains spread across the floor, dust tried to hide the truth, but the blood whimpered on the floor. Used to run here, loaded guns here, flying to die with color and sound. Planets spun in a dance as the sun hit them, whirling about one another from a day twenty-two years past. All around and about, filling her mind with data as their world, the world with gold stars and a single ocean went about it's dance. She could dance with them now. Spin in cricles until stars floated above her and an ocean formed from her tears. Would be crazy though, too crazy. The girl reached forward to adjust for time. Dancing was madness and forbidden here and now, needed to be River who should have been, focused on the task before her. Calculations, adjustments, relative data set the planets in motion and pulled a silent sob from her throat.

"Is this an data bank?" Jack was behind a desk, leaning to look at something with confusion. To tell her now or later? Fear would spread out and fighting would begin again. Helpful only to the hunger and the lust for wet crimson.

"Possibly," River inspected it. "Screen is cracked...must find another. Must find a building of similar size and stature, unassuming." She glanced around for anything else in the room, sifted through the screams to find anything of use. Curses echoed up from the elders. Cursing their employers and the lab coats downstairs. Downstairs where they hated to go but the children were forbidden; prayers for that and tears for what they followed with. "Enter nothing without windows, open them fully and peel apart when you can. The light is our only salvation."

River began to walk out from the building and paused just at the door. The Devil was looking for them both with dragons in his blood and fire in his loins. Sought to use one against the other if his quarry wasn't found first. Would find his needles first, find his corner and sit with silent grins. The beast had shaken the pilot before looking for supplies. Mind aflutter with fear and lust, heart beating for him and from him as she sat in the skiff and ran diagnostics on the ship and herself. Hunger was flying above and below, seeking whatever would slake the thirst.

"I swear, I'm not-"

"Go to Shazza, keep the children together," River interrupted her. "The Devil will seek new souls and will use them as bait. Ask if Zeke can show you how to fix a sandcat, Ali should know as well."

"Got a soft spot for him, huh?" Jack asked. "Alright, nothing wrong with it. Sides, might be useful to know about ships and stuff, specially if it makes you wanna skin someone."

River gave the younger girl a small push before slipping away from the schoolhouse. Away from children's screams and far from the hunting Devil. Following her everywhere, would slave her and sell her and both of them would die at the end. She would lose herself under the knife and he would die by hands not her own, by a blade not the Beast's. Should he turn her in before, highly unlikely, Blue would take them both. Different is good, different is what they want.

Different is what they made here.

River walked into a new building, a building full of steel frames and boxes and warped plastic casings. Nothing here but broken things. Papers fluttered on the walls, sun-washed and cracked, twenty-two years ago. Twenty two men and women survived the hive to die on the surface. Twenty two children, eleven twice, all in pairs like animals onto Book's ark. Meant to live on, make a breeding pair with the new genes and died on the surface, hunted over hunting while black rain came down to wash humanity away from their hearts and souls.

"Collecting wool?"

Riddick was near to her. Hunger and blood in his brain and under his skin. Too much was happening and he could scent it in her skin.

"Skeins of wool, Darkness will fall in hours, must make haste or there will be nothing to haste for." River leaned against a rack before letting the blood wash over her, would keep roaring against her unless she ducked beneath the wave. To let it go over and past her was a wonderful thing, left her clean and free while the echoed screams fell aside. Not her screams, never hers or his, would not be anyone's if there was oil to burn but where would they find it? How would they render from that without substance or soul? The Stone was cracking now, seeing the truth of her ally as the Devil's tail twitched and he fell for the siren song to rid himself of ghost pains.

"Cannot think for thoughts," she sighed. "The struggles of being a genius and a reader and for having a heart."

"Come on," Riddick offered his hand. Versions of him were overlapping now, the heartless one and the bloodied one mixing together, trying to keep the old one buried under sand. "Come on, there's a house just a ways back. Furthest from the skiff. Can't see a trace of blood in it."

Couldn't see his eyes, but knew he was looking into hers. She took the offered hand, knowing what was in store. Knowing that it would chase the thoughts far from her mind and she would reset, like a cortex run too hot. She would scream for the joy and blue would overcome red. He knew it too. Prideful man, mounting beast, luring virginal girls into his den to feast upon them and turn them into his own kind. Made him glad to know she knew what was coming up. Glad and concerned for the barest of seconds as he remembered that she'd allied herself with Him before all others. First choice out of everyone else and knowing what went on in his head.

"Would not have remained with you without them," she nearly sang to him. Her scent was growing stronger in his mind as she moved closer. He half turned to her, brows raised and a smile just behind his lips. "Best chance of survival, listens when she speaks words, admits when he cannot understand. The Beasts mind is primal and ordered, best of both worlds and aware of tactics and the logic behind them...that he makes her body sing is a bonus."

Riddick laughed deep and wickedly as his mind took her words in. There was victory in his mind, victory and doubt not in his abilities, but in the sound of her mind. She was all kinds of crazy in all the best ways. Armed to the teeth and planning every moved she made before situations popped up to try and fuck her over. Mental cues were a plus he needed to discuss with her.

"Been getting a tingle in the back of my head," he spoke up as they reached the house he spoke of. Large windows all around, letting in light and safety, blocked by others to give privacy. Shutters closed to half so eyes could see. "Sometimes they match up with what you're doing, sometimes you ain't even around."

"She has been trying to speak without speaking, wasn't sure, not until you acted." She walked into the house and smiled to see the inside. Not Le Grande Marquise or Lianhua Gongzhu, but she was not a normal girl, nor was he a normal man. She let herself fall onto the bed with a smile, drinking in the feeling of soft light and respect. Saw herself through his eyes in shades of indigo and white. "Clean sheets, have not had clean sheets in a month. Much appreciated."

"Simple things," he grinned. The Beast was coming to play. Was time still until the cat was fixed, until the water ran clear, until sun set and death rose. He was joining her on the bed now, caging her with arms to crash and cradle as eyes took her in. "How long we got Beautiful?"

"Thirteen hours until full dark. Seven until sunset. Two until the devil wakes from his slumber. Three until everyone gathers for water. Four until the cat is running and he will be called." To be called beautiful was a thing she'd never accepted. Not until she heard it full of feral growls and echoing in the air. "No one watching now. No one to see as she gasped for breath under him." River leaned up and kissed him, tasting the words he couldn't make for need blossoming in his brain and body. "Chase them away Beast, chase her words and thoughts until she shakes for you."

He kissed her with a slow burning need. Hot and unhurried as his hand travelled slowly down her side, thumb grazing flesh as he teased her tongue with his own. Teaching her the slow and easy way of going about things. How to build a hot fire that lasted long after the embers and gone cold. She was aware of his hands caressing her legs as his mouth moved to her neck. Breathing in, tasting the sweat and the skin as he pulled her higher onto the bed. Her hands didn't go to his neck, but around his middle, feeling her way up and under damp cotton. The running and the fighting, minutes grains of sand that fell against her mind and skin belonged on the floor and he chuckled at it as she pulled it away and threw it aside. Boots were kicked off and both were now fully on the bed, he on his side, hands running up and down her legs as he kissed her again. Wanted her in his lap again, liked it when she was staring at him through hooded eyes as her body shook and bounced.

He'd never asked out loud, or thank her when she took her seat and leaned to kiss him. Not the way he worked. Not important either. His hands were sliding up her thighs, circling round to cup her pi gu and let fingers slip and tease what was hidden by a crimson bikini. She pressed against them. Against fingers and manhood, delighting in the feel of him and of the inhale of breath with every motion. The feel of him rising to meet her brought the primitive brain to the fore and she wanted, need him soon. A finger slipped under the ctoon and edged just around where she wanted it to go. She kissed him once more and sighed into his mouth when it finally slipped in. Nipped at his jaw and placed open kisses on his neck with every wiggle and thrust into her. Like for like, Equal for equal, it slipped deeper and she made a noise that was not human. Her mouth left his skin from the feeling of it.

"Again," she breathed against him. "Please do it again."

"Wearing too much," he grinned above her. "Not fair, is it?"

River sat up with a growl, trying not to shake or rip the fabric as she pulled her shirt off. Pulled the strings of the bikini off too, slower to make him focus, to tease with the revaluation of a great secret. His finger wriggled and she froze mis pull. Needed more than this. It dropped to her waist and ribboned between his pants and her skirt. His eyes focused on her breasts and the hand that hadn't teased and taunted moved up to cup her breast, thumb moving over her nipple and fingers gently pinching to make her coo. Beautiful.

Her kissed her harder this time, untying her bottoms and pulling the cotton from between them both as he tasted her. Pinches grew harder, the grip more intense and her voice struggled to keep others from hearing her. She was pressed hard against him, skin to skin and teeth to teeth as he bucked up against her. Her lust blossomed with his, need and desire as her nails curled into his back and a different growl came from his throat and through his teeth. Her hands moved to his waist, where she could feel the muscles straining against it's confines and pushing into her thigh and against her hands. Shaking to get them open before her turned them around. On her back once more and feeling him kiss, worship every inch down. River cried out as he found her breast once more. Rough tongue circling before suckling and making her back arch into him, offering more than he'd taken. He'd settled down though, needed the time to kick off his pants and unzip her skirt.

"You know what I want to do?" Riddick asked her. Flashes came to her hot and rough, The Beast would take so long as she gave, and what he gave in return would leave her wobbling and panting. Bent over and crying out as he took her from behind, pulling hair and fucking her relentlessly.

"Yes," she panted. "Gods yes, she needs it. Craves it from scent alone."

The skirt slid off and he was kneeling between her legs, kissing her hard as his fingers entered her again. Two of them slipping in and curling to make stars dancing in her eyes over and again. In and out, faster and harder as she rode the hand between her thighs. The verse was reborn when he touched on something deep within her. Swallowing her screams as she shudddered beneath him from the release and the knowledge that this was far from over. She could feel him waiting just past his hand, twitching against her thigh and leaving his own wetness on her skin. She needed it, even as she gasped for breath against his neck. A softer kiss this time, lain against her cheek before he sat up and reached for his pants. Responsible even in a time of cirsis; she was in such a time. A time where her need was doubled with every move he made and every thought that came to her from his brain.

The crinkle of a wrapper sounded and of latex over skin before he knelt down between her legs again.

"Gotta relax Beautiful," he brushed her hair from her face. "Else it's gonna hurt even more."

Breathed him in, nose against his skin, lips along his neck as rough hands moved her into position. Scent in her nose and mind, pure and primal and natural as she made her body relax beneath his. Let her mind relax with the thoughts in his head. The hands on her hips tightened before he snapped forward. A swift strike without hesitation or fear, breaking through tissue and bringing a pain that shot up through her stomach and into her breast to catch in her lungs. Hands held her still beneath him and his chest came to meet hers, trying to keep her from scratching him bloody as the pain wracked through her. Pain mixed with his own pleasure and the trickle of guilt that he was the one to take. Better a Beast than a Devil to break her, crack the shell and expose the other side.

She took a breath, and another, shaking with every effort as she attempted to steady herself. Lips on skin, hands on shoulders as the anchor changed and the world shifted. Every clench of pain brought him guilt and pleasure; never took pain for fun, not from women or children, rarely from men and monsters. Why he went for the sweet spot, quick death. The sweet spot, the little death.

She moved under him, tendrils of pain mixing in with his own pleasure and a tiny spark of her own. Wouldn't move above her for fear of become more than a Beast. No wish to become an animal She adjusted her legs around him, face curling against his neck as too many things came to her. Lesser by degrees with every movement she made until the Beast grabbed her hips again. One arm bracing himself above her to let her free to run or stay and hoping for all the wrong things. He moved with her this time, odd within her until the pain had become a sidestory to the rest of it. Only let her set the pace at first, he would take control when the time came.

Movement turned to rhythm and the air in her lungs released with sound as they played. Made her body sing with each movement, lips hot on her skin as hands gripped her harder with the sound of it. Everything became more as they moved. Thoughts clearer and more base, Hunger and need swirling in her own mind to meet with his. The scent of him and of them feeding her on a level she wasn't allowed before. River cried out as he struck against the perfect spot.

"There," she breathed against his cheek. "Again, there."

Listened to words as much as physical cues, gave what she wanted in spades and growled for every cry of blue light that escaped her lips. Riddick kissed her hard and renewed his place above her, a firmer grip on her hips as her pulled her to meet him in the new pace. Shook her body with his movements as the fires roared beneath their skin. To see him above her, raw and beastly made it worse and better for every thrust. Losing herself in his gaze and his body just as he did. Harder and faster until she was certain she'd gone hoarse and her words were babbling all about them.

Felt her around him as the waves mounted, thumbs down on her skin, teasing and flicking until the world burned white hot around them and the hunger had gone blue once more. Blinding, she shut her eyes and soared in the light with Richard. Soared and steadied, her body had gone liquid while she wasn't looking, muscles seeking to become one with the surface below her while the man above jerked and panted against her neck. She could feel him following suit, slower, making sure to fall to the side instead of crushing her with his mass. Hot flesh had cooled, sweat dried as her thighs followed suit. Quivering and protesting any movement at all, she gave what was in his mind. The feel of a female body against his own. Soft and satiated in the dim light of the room, draped upon him without holding too tightly.

"Feels delicious," she hummed against his shoulder.

"Trust me, you are," he chuckled above her. Satisfied with himself and his prowess. Happy he hadn't lost his touch and that she hadn't run away. His arm had gone about her, shifting one of the knives that had been placed on the bedside to rest beneath her pillow. The other had gone to peel latex from his skin and flick it across the room. Nothing to worry on here, evidence wouldn't be stumbled upon unless one went looking for it.

"Your daddy ain't gonna try and hunt me down, is he?" didn't want more people on his neck. Tired of killing to stay alive.

"Wishes to speak on her father?" She gave him a look. The tone was teasing but she was equally as serious. "Will not speak of him until she has clothes on. She will lay here, unclad and delighting in what she experienced."

Made him laugh again. Easier and relaxed as he let himself enjoy the scent and feel of her. Time would come when they could not, when relaxing would be valued and beloved for the memory of it. They would run again after this, to something, away from something, it didn't matter. They would run and hide and fight. River turned to smell his skin and his chest rumbled beneath her.

"Can not help it," she spoke to his chest. "Dull senses still comprehend when something is new, when something smells good."

"Been two weeks without a shower, running by goddamn ass off and covered in blood since then, and you think I smell good?"

"Never said she was sane," she countered before nipping at him. "Has only been one week, but still finds her just as enjoyable."

"That's because I'm a psychopath," he shifted her to sit on his lap. Muscles shouted and she hissed as they strained and cried for it. "You good?"

"Will be," she nodded. "Natural occurrence after exertion, one must adjust and move to recover else wibble and wobble on weak legs and succeed only in giving their position away." She tilted her head at him and saw the features clearer in the dim light than in the bright sun. The angles were sharper, lips were fuller and silver eyes were obvious to her now. Stars in his eyes, hot with animal needs and desires. "Thank you. Thankful there were no prayers or of mentions of the big man as he fucked her. Perhaps there will be time try go again, to take her as he imagines without time or pain lingering." She leaned forward and kissed him once more, lips lingering to speak with less space and less sound. "Did not think she would like to have him so rough. Now she wonders how far he can go. How much she can take as pins her from behind."

"Got a helluva mouth on you River." He was laughing again, flesh waking beneath her until memories of time floated into his head. "Aughta dress up though. Running out of time and Johns' is needing a bit more every time." A hand patted her bottom and he began to push himself up. He would rise regardless of what she did, though he was considerate enough to move slowly and warn her first. His lust didn't fade. Remained every ready, just as he did. Never been thanked for leaving god out of it, never been teased by a girl half his size. A handsome beast pondering why an imaginary figure would give him so much grief. Brushed it away from him, not on her agenda to think on imagined beings when the Devil was waking and Jack was failing to remember her promise.

She stretched her legs as he wandered the room in search of his clothing. Tested the limits and practiced hiding the pain by walking and bending untilit came easier than before. He watched her as she bent, pondered and dismissed for another time; he would enjoy the view as she bent to dig through her bag for new things. Used the red cotton to clean herself off and pulled the pink out instead. The ache was becoming an annoyance now, inconvenient to her plans to stay alive.

The bandeau was taking it's duty very seriously as it covered her from sight. For teasing, not touching, and terrible plans to whomever tried without permission. Knickers had been hiding within them, sitting silent and patient for her to take them up. Lifted into the air, listened to and pondered before she put them on, covering that which the Beast coveted and humming softly as the ones before them did not. Different now than before. Needed now as well. Winds were picking up and sand would blow into places not meant for grit and sorrow.

He waited by the door for her, fully dressed and watching for the one they knew was wandering over. The final boot zipped and Robin fell back into place. Gun belt buckled around her waist and the knife Riddick had claimed earlier was still in his possession. Planned to shave with it, saw the rash on her thighs and her neck from where he'd rubbed against her skin without a mind.

"Warned her, thinks to ask first now."

"Nope." Riddick took lead as they walked, peeking into buildings every so often in case he missed something. "She's a kid."

"Fourteen in three months," River agreed. "Strayed from the child to find the difficult path into adulthood. Stay a child while you can, safe in ignorance, bliss in the light."

River had wandered off of his decided trail some minutes ago, still in sight and hearing, still within the whispers of his brain as they wandered through the ghostly town. Not much, not much at all. Broken down houses, kicking over tin to reveal shrieking beasts that fled and burned in the sun. Never children, never knew what they missed; they did miss it so. Missed it from the trace memories of the elders they devoured. Another door kicked in, more light spreading through and reflecting back into her eyes. Steel and iron all around, waiting and wishing beneath grimey glass.

She lifted her gun and slammed the butt against the glass, head turned as it shattered from the force. Tired of protecting, let something else come along to take the duty away. Extra ammo, extra guns, extra medical supplies. Poorly placed, though fortunate for the girl. Blue Sun was here. Didn't live here, but visited on it's way to someplace else. Blue guns and silver medics. Differently similar. As sneaky as a snake, as poisonous, using different methods to destroy the unfit.

"Ilaria Corporation."

Too many variables. The medkit went into her bag and the ammo followed suit, lighter in weight though no less deadly. She would test to see if they punctured the men that weren't at a later time.

No time now. Knives, small and subpar, overly large and dull, nothing she wanted, nothing she needed. Nothing for her, but enough for him. Tossed them out the door, let it thunk against the building opposite and let him know without knowing that it was there. Waiting for him when he had the time. No swords for her, no decent knives for her. Would get hers back when he found his. Had better get hers back...

His amusement echoed through as she left the building. No promises. He'd found the switch that released the blade fully and liked it quite a lot.

She felt around for everyone. Felt for the minds she cared to look upon as she stretched and worked to hide the slight limp he'd given her. Jack was wandering still, Ali arguing with Shazza and Zeke looking for something. Water soon, sandcat fixed ahead of schedule and true to the words of the beast, the Devil was rousing from his slumber. Seeking a female to draw into his web.

"Sweet little lies," she whispered to the others. Felt them spinning around under the earth.

Needed to remind the others of the danger. Of the pending sunset. Not enough time for all of them. She hurried back, seeking Jack out as she went. Her mind was faint, quiet, trying to be sneaky.

"Jack!" she called to the boy who was not. "Get your gorram _pi gu_ out here!"

There was scampering, hurried, busy and only slightly ashamed as the girl poked her head out, completely bald with a pair of broken goggles.

"_Zhen mei nai xin de fo zu_," River crossed her amrs. She tilted her head and looked at the girl, wondering if she even knew what she ever wanted. Wanted acceptance, didn't matter who it came from, not enough back home. "Winner of the look alike contest...Come, there will be water soon."

"Zeke said they were fixin' it just fine without me," Jack defended for her behavior. "And Ali was getting bored, so he went and started botherin' Shazza."

Learning was not bothering and deft little hands were a help to the former sniper. Sharp eyes kept watch on him while his brothers played and prayed.

"Shall return then, and pray that there are drinks to be had without viruses floating about inside. Wouldn't like to join the creatures below."

"Yeah, seems like a bad thing to do."

"No," River spoke before the next question could be asked. "Do not know where Riddick is, parted ways some twenty minutes past."

"Well, you still smell like sex."

Better to know than not she supposed. Better to know who she could stand near and who to dodge lest questions come up. The wrong questions from the wrong people. Browncoats would know, not understand exactly, but they would know. Would remain silent for events that happened on the battlefield. Wait until after when they were safe and sound and the war had paused. Ali would know for his questions on lovers and the attentions he'd glimpsed earlier. Jack would need to be silent for all of her soul. Not the only one to be sold by the Devil. Digging through more rubble, stretching further for answers and ease rewarded them with little for long term use and much for the now. Crystal cuts were gathered into a box and carried between the girls as they went back to the watershed.

They came back just in time. A whoop of joy and praise for Allah as dihydrogen monoxide came burbling up from the earth. Murky and wet and not quite cold as they continued to lift it from the earth. Heads poked out and all gathered round to see something more precious than diamonds pop up from the earth. Riddick meandered in last, the handle of her blade sticking out of his pocket and too much satisfaction in his head when she pursed her lips.

"And now it's running clear," Shazza declared with satisfaction. "Who's got a pitcher?"

"We found one while we were lookin' around," Jack offered up. "Found a whole set, might wanna rinse it out first though."

"I've been eating sand for hours," Johns griped. "Bit more ain't gonna bother me so long as I can wash it down."

River ignored the consensus and moved to Shazza with the pitcher, crouching lightly to rinse at least that out before filling it. The scent of water and wet earth and sex combinging and the prospector glanced at her with a silent question in her eyes and ringing through the air. Yes, she would very much like to clean herself up, but they were running out of time. Needed the cat more than she needed to clean herself.

"I'll get to the cat next," Shazza asked. "Zeke's probably dented a few bits and his fingers by now."

"Hey now, didn't ask to have these great sausage fingers, did I?"

"I'm not complaining about your fingers a bit," the woman laughed. "Here, take this and hand off the other one."

The first pitcher went up and goblets were filled and emptied and filled again. Clean of foul blood and virus, the only thing clean about this place trickled down her skin as she drink, a drop down her neck for every gulp and her body's knowledge that she would be better soon. The abuse would end soon and all would be well.

"Robin, mind grabbing that thing? Might need to flush the radiator." Giving the girl a cover where she could ask questions about the incident. "Coming to watch little guy?"

"Ali missed his prayers, so we will study together," Imam answered instead. "In fact, we should all gather, to give thanks to Allah."

"I'll pass on that," Johns snorted. He hefted his gun over his shoulder once more and Frye left with her water to see to the skiff. He thought on going after her, but it would be more fun to look for the Beast, taunt him and see what would happen. Could watch the women folk, but Browncoats weren't his favorite people. "Go see if there's anything else that mighta been missed."

"I'll stick around," Zeke shrugged. "Looks like we're missing someone though. Where's Hassan at?"

River dropped the pitcher just before the screams started, not enough for most to notice, but enough for hunters to pick up right away. The screams echoed and she braced herself as the others rushed out, Jack barely lingering to see if she was alright. An anchor found, the world regained and the two of them were running to look and keep safe. Her thighs strained with the effort, relaxing through the exertion until the coring room was reached. Chains kept the door shut and the struggle within continued until the shotgun rang out and the doors flew open.

The fluttering of tiny monsters swarmed at them before going deep into the earth through the pit below. Stay in the light, out of the shadows and the caves. Hassan struggled for breath in Imam's arms, fading quickly as he struggled for prayer and to breath and live.

River pulled Ali back when he tried to enter, holding him to her and covering his eyes from the blood. Too much for him and far from the end. Losing time.

"Three hours until sunset," She whispered. It was enough to pull attention back to her. To fill her head with the image she gave. A frightened and innocent thing, holding tight to a child with the sun at her back. "Saw the school room, thought to watch the rotation of the planet, to see how time passed. Years in a day but the sun will set in three hours."

"How long we talking?" Zeke asked. "Can't be long right, few hours of night?"

River shook her head. "Approximately ninety six hours. Thought to turn the planet into an agricultural hub, but the soil was not rich, too far from the ocean without rivers. Wandered around, research papers on weapons and security." Ali's little arms wrapped around her waist and she nearly cried. "Saw the test subjects on paper, before and after. Now they sleep until the short night and feed."

"That's not too long," Frye shook her head. Doubt in the girl and wondering how hard it would be to help her disappear. "We can just hole up, wait it out."

"Sure someone else thought the same thing," Riddick spoke up. Thoguht on everything and nothing to keep ideas and images from his head. "Coring room, notices those samples aren't soil? Notice how thick the doors are and the cooling system up top? Tried to barricade themselves in here, see it with the chains and the bones. Seemed to forget about the building downstairs though." Her jerked his head to the pit, lined with steel and clawmarks. "Didn't lock the basement."

"C'mon," Shazza pulled on River's arm. "Need to get our shit together, get the cells and get our asses back here."

River nodded and focused on the task at hand while Ali stuck close by. Imam and Suleiman were grieving for a fallen ward and brother. No time to comfort a little lost boy, so he would find solace in numbers and hard facts. Would watch as wire were rerouted and bolts tightened. Ran for water to flush the radiator and the first on as Shazza started the machine up. A call to flee, to run for the cell and their lives; no idea why all of them came, only needed two with enough strength to lift cells. Needed things, she heard their minds. Needed things to take with them. Foolish, could take nothing when Death came to collect you.

Shazza was starting to drive, turning around and trying to wait for the one she knew wasn't evil until the cold steel pressed against her back to make her drive faster and now.

"Press the goddamn gas, Riddick wouldn't wait for us," Johns shouted at her. The click sounded and the acceleration was hit, driving through the worst parts at the Devil's urging.

The Beast jumped down onto the cat from a spine above them and the steel moved from her back to Riddick's chest.

"Duck," River ordered.

Most of them did, having paid attention; barely missed Johns ribs crashed behind them. A hectic and terrified drive that wasn't nearly as fast as it should have been under optimal conditions. Anything but. They were hopping off, one and two at a time to beat the falling shadow. Could see it now, edging across the horizon. No time. Not enough time to make it there and live. Needed to recalculate, reassess. Leave no man behind nor beast of burden.

She watched the sun as the others hurried to disengage the cells from the ship, scrambling for items that would be lost before the end. Should not have tarried or taken the flesh as she did. No kisses before dying unless it was a sureity.

"Too late," River whispered. Ali's hands clutched at her skirt and fear blossomed from her words. Silly things, words. She brushed the fear from him, leaving the slightest bit to keep him aware. To be without fear was to be mad, a psychopath. "Will need to adjust their plan. Find a way to take the light with us."

"Can we?"

"We must," she led him inside of the container. "Stay here, safe and sound. The sight of that in the dark is not for you. Don't look out the window."

Ali nodded and found the brightest spot he could in the container as the others ran and jumped, wasting light and scowling at her for digging in places without purpose. Safety lights wouldn't help them beat the sun, they chuffed. Let them. River set her bag down beside Ali and continued to search, bringing things back to the little pup who would bark and growl at intruders. He was already figuring out what she intended; no need to nudge and drop hints. The darkness fell closer and River looked out. Shazza would not make it back, too close to the wall and the hunger erupting from the spires. Needed the water anyway.

River dashed out and ran for the cat, grabbing up a bottle before sprinting back, just slow enough that she would not pass Shazza when the time came. Coming closer in a mist of teeth and tears as the shouts of the family realized why she'd tarried within. They were coming, closer and closer until it was time to hit the dirt.

It was tricky to tackle the elder woman. Larger, more muscle and fear. Sand struck them both on the face as the fog of fury and little wings passed over them.

"Stay down, _fang xin_," River barked when Shazza tried to rise. "Yi yan if she rises."

"_Tian shia_," Shazza shook. "Robin, if you can't get us back, I'll tell your daddy everything."

River made a noise and a half shrug before lifting her knife and releasing the full blade. Caught one, two, three, and they caught the rest. Blood and hunger for anything. Knowing to run by instinct, saw the girl begin to rise and followed suit. One, two, three, steps to the container and both were pulled within and the door guarded by those with the big guage and eyes that could see. Everyone could see them erupt in the gloaming. Spraying up like a fountain in search of blood and memories.

"Should call her River," she spoke softly. "Took another name at Daddy's urging." she looked over at Shazza. "Appreciated her actions, but not the trouble that followed her."

"River?" Ali asked. His brain was quick to adjust and the others were listening to keep from focusing on the fear in the sky.

"River Marie Tam," she sat down on a fallen cryo. "Wanted for... a few menial deaths of several researchers and three generals."

"Menial?" Shazza asked. Johns was cursing to no one in particular as his desire for her switched. Still wanted to touch and bleed' new reason and new boundaries now. She would suffer less if only for the paycheck.

"She's wanted throughout the Anglo Sino territories," Johns clarified. He was starting to laugh now and Riddick was keeping his mind focused on survival plans. Assumed she knew what she was doing and left it at that. "Killed the secretary general of her home world and a visiting dignatary, and that was before she bombed a research facility. That little girl killed off seven researchers and three doctors. Only a couple million less than Riddick over there."

"Didn't get the _hun dhan_ she was aiming for," River huffed. "Experimenting on humans is wrong. Theirs are not the hands of god. Doesn't matter if they are criminals or free of guilt. Sought to create weapons for mass death and viruses to clean the survivors for the sole purpose of unquestionable rule."

"Also says she's schizophrenic." Johns shifted his hand on his gun.

"Even if she is, she is not wrong," River countered. "Pax and it's descendants are not created by god, but by men who hunger for power as they hunger for blood." She pointed out the door with her blade and rolled her eyes when Johns aimed his gun at her. "Only worth the bounty if she's alive _chwen sher toh_."

She flicked the blade closed either way. Collapsing in on itself before slipping into the hilt with a soft click. River slipped it into the empty slot on her thigh holster and sat down beside her pack and the items she'd collected. Safety lights were winding about them all and flickering now and again as Ali tested them in the battery he'd rigged up. Clever boy.

"So, did Sarge pick you up before or after all this?" Zeke asked.

"After," River sang as she stripped wires. "Escaped her training facility and woke up in his cargo hold, naked as the first time she was born. Ran, hid, never stopped chasing her though. Their favorite weapon." She set plastic casing to the side. "His choice to tell the verse about Pax."

Shazza let out a laughing sigh before she sat down and looked the haul over. Checking to see if anything was needed, how to improve or add on to the engineering of safety. Zeke nodded and rubbed his hands together and exhaled before he decided to look about for anything to burn. Expected nothing less of the man he knew.

"Great," Frye chirped. Her mind was going frantic and her worry for her safety and secrets was increased. "Just great, just fucking great." Her hand went to her mouth to keep her next words in and she focused on herself and how to survive. Had to calm herself a great deal before her next words came out. "There's uhm, there's a feed loop built into those. Link them to each other and they're a bit brighter because of some scientific crap I don't want to remember."

"Wonderful," Johns sneered. "We'll be able to see how fuckin' scared we all are. Excluding of course the animal over there and the crazy girl."

Something began to scratch against the steel, knocking and tapping at it as fear filled the steel box they sat in. Hungry for the prize within, tapping grew louder until the outer hull screeched for the creature's efforts and others began to knock from the other side. Avoiding the door for the most part, but hovering just outside of it and waiting for a ntoher person to step into the light.

"I think that cutting torch is around here somewhere," Shazza murmured. "Next box over doesn't have as much damage done."

"Get to it," Frye nodded.

Too much fear to brush away, focused instead on letting Jack cling to Riddick's presence and keep Ali focused and calm. Suleiman hadn't left Imam's side since Hassan had fallen, but the older man could not be depended upon to keep them all alive. His faith was his weakness. Next box was not fully safe, nicks in the hull and a hole to cover once they got through. Would need to keep cutting until some sort of safety was reached. Broken through and clicking and clacking until Johns told the best to look inside.

"What's it look like in there?" Johns asked.

The beast peeked in and amusement mad River roll her eyes and hope all at once. Might be better to get rid of Johns now, less to worry on, but fewer guns to keep them safe. One less person watching their backs. Small monster in the darkness, sniffing and perking up at the scent he discovered.

"Looks clear."

Johns began to enter, blocking the light and giving the child a chance to fly.

"Son of a-" A gunshot ringing as the infant flew towards them and cried in the light. Hid behind a crate and sobbed for it's wounds. Not just nocturnal, but injured by light. A note to make. Could hunt down the infant now, but the Devil would shoot her first.

"I thought you said it was clear!" he shouted at the laughing beast.

"I said it looks clear," Riddick corrected. Could smell her amusement and let her hide his from the man with the gun.

"Well what's it look like now?" Johns asked with forced patience.

The beast looked again and not a creature was to be seen.

"Looks clear."

Jack snickered behind the beast and Ali hid his smile as he waited to go forward. Curses again, muttering and damning every ancestor that had brought them all here. Every dumbassed scientist who came here before them and all the gods and the verse itself to be stuck here with the biggest pain in his ass and a crazy girl; barely worth more than the fucking trouble it took to be around them.

~!~

Riddick handed the torch off to Zeke. His eyes burned and they'd cut through enough containers to make a new one from the scraps. Jack followed him away from the bright flame and over to the wall he'd chosen to sit against. River was still working at the lights, adjusting their brightness to test power intake while her boy gave her readings and supplies. Couldn't see the kid as Imam's anymore, not when he was clinging to her skirt like she was his momma. She had a soft spot for him too; smart enough to keep up with that brain of hers and do what needed to be done. Useful thing that.

A hand reached towards him with an open palm and dark eyes looked into his own through the dark glass. Had a way of doing that to you. Seeing you without looking.

"Wants her knife back," she spoke. Soft and clear in the night.

"Not a knife," Riddick couldn't help the grin coming over his face. "It's a fucking sword and you know it."

"What?" Frye looked over then, seeking the blade River had lodged onto her thigh and then looking to him in confusion. "Thought...why do you have two? Why do you have either?"

"Attempted to buy her back," River answered without looking over. Her hand was still open in between them. "Third Operative came armed with triggers if she resisted and presents if she came willingly. Prideful that his plan would work. Cut his head off with them."

There was a moment of silence and Riddick pulled the hilt from his pocket, wondering about it and looking between her expecting face and the blade in his hands. He could give it back.

"The Alliance trained you?" Shazza asked.

"Thought she was clear the first time." River's mouth had pursed and she was getting mighty annoyed. The tingle in his skull and the scent of her was proof enough of that. "Trained to keep control for the Alliance and turned coat. Don't like having assassins on the other side. Will have her sword now, please and thank you."

Riddick tossed it into the air and watched it spin before giving it back to her. She'd found a set of ulaks for him back at the settlement and the blades she used weren't the right size for him, too big, too loud and flashy. He did watch it slide home into her thigh holster though. Matching on either side and so close to his claim. Temporary, sure, but right now, it was his. Even if she met a hundred men and fucked them all, his scent would be there, oldest and strongest out of them all.

"Prideful," River scoffed as she leaned back on her hands. "Think she bit the hand that fed her, turned her back on the good masters, keep sending people to take her home. Tried force, tried coercion, tried kindness. Every time she destroys them a bit more."

"Bold enough to tear down the world yourself," Shazza shook her head with the lightest of smiles. Soldier girl was tired of it. The hiding, the battle, the feds, but through all that she wanted to fight. Wanted a reason beyond freedom for the folks on the outside and now she had it. There was some kind of joke between the women though.

The wall fell through to the other side and Riddick tensed. The air was fresher over there and one of those things was inside. No one was rushing through though. They were piling in slowly and resting on the other side without a though about why it was colder. Well, most of them were. Might give him a chance to see it all though. Sneak around and watch the things that were hunting them. Might get to cut the thing open, see how it worked, where the weak spots were. The tingle of approval in his head just let him know she might follow along mentally. Keep tabs on him and give a warnign if she could. Interesting thing that.

Johns was too busy getting his shakes under control and the others didn't give a damn. Except maybe Jack, but she was busy trying to talk to the other teenager. Hormones riding high all around him, made his nose twitch until he was completely in the dark of the container. The big guy wasn't hard to find, eating a smaller version of himself and tasting memories if River was right. So far she was, didn't mean she was infallible though. Damn if she wasn't pissed off at that. All kinds of fun to be had with her. The beast above him tore another chunk from it's meal, head always swinging as it chewed. Never stopped moving, like a shark. Might be worth finding out if it was just a twitch or if they needed to move to live. Another day maybe. Something was coming over without a care in the world. Male, young, not the kid, he was smarter than that.

Suleimon started when he saw the beast and the beast saw him. River's description was spot on. It looked and moved like it was hungry and people were nothing but steaks. Riddick would have been sick of eating the same fucking thing for twenty two too; got sick of prison food real goddamn fast. Didn't know why he did it, maybe because the kid was dumb, didn't know better, but he grabbed the boy and pulled him against the crate, hoping they'd both blend in if they stayed still. Worked before.

"Don't move," he whispered slowly.

Worked for just a second. Piss was running down the boys leg, hopefully missing Riddick, before it puddled on the floor. Not a fucking chance this thing was leaving now. The kid couldn't even move, barely shifting when Riddick pushed him to move. Kid was too dumb to live if he didn't know to run when something was chasing him. Riddick even tried to push him along, to pull him, but he wasn't going to die for him. Not on this wasteland.

His eyes burned as he ran to the light and the boy's shouts and screams echoed through the container behind him. The survivors were watching the darkness behind him on the edge of their seats, ready to run or fight depending. The blast of a shotgun as Riddick ducked told him who was the jumpiest of them all; not that he had any doubt about it. Riddick didn't need to tell them what was inside with them now, not when it was laying on the ground and bleeding out. The raptors were up front and right behind them. Riddick was not looking forward to four days of sticking to the light with a bottle of water between them. Not when Johns was already twitching and Frye kept watching everyone for a weak spot. Zeke and Shazza looked used to this and River... she was barely paying attention as she worked on lights. Had a plan in her head and you could go with or stay behind.

He didn't meander over to her as the others got a look at what was hunting them. He leaned up against the wall and checked his blades over. Pretty sharp all things considered. Might be nice to sharpen them up when he got the time. River's tingle in his head agreed and she had hers hands resting on her thighs, rubbing the leather with her thumbs and making him think on all kinds of things with blades and blood followed closely by skin and showers. Nah, he wasn't going to join her for a while yet. Had a partnership of sorts as it was, didn't need to show their hand.

It surprised him when Frye was the one who spoke up. Surprised River too. Definitely not all knowing and the tingle in his brain ran a bit cold before it cut out completely. The woman herself huffed and pointedly ignored him. Frye kept on counting what they had with them; the liquor bottles Zeke had rounded up and the ropes River and Ali had worked out, even the cutting torch on the ground and the handlights people were holding onto.

"Alright, I think we've got enough," Frye spoke up. Her voice was shaky, just enough to make you doubt her, but it got stronger as she went on. Thankfully the soldiers knew exactly what she meant based on what they'd seen. "We can stay here for four days, ration out what we got with us, try to make it through and hope we don't kill each other or get eaten by those..."

"Bioraptors," River supplied easily. Her break into Frye's monologue caused a paused in everything and enough time for Johns to figure it out and come up with a retort.

"Lady, if you are in our right mind, then I pray you go insane," Johns realized what Frye was thinking.

Same thing Riddick and River were thinking too. Get some lights, grab the cells, and make a run for it. Hell, even if they just camped out in the skiff until the sun rose it was more secure than this place. Not a bad plan actually. Except for the kids. Made it a bit trickier. Only two of them left, one trying hard as hell to do what Riddick himself did while the other tended to preempt his chosen guardian.

"It's simple, we stick to the plan, get the cells back to the skiff, get the hell off this rock."

The pilot was moving closer to him now. His teasing in the skiff had switched her scent up all sorts of ways, a little less fear, a bit more lust and the need for power. He was the better choice to stand beside while she argued with Johns. She was still scared, but it was different this time around, the tingle in the back of his head told him it had more to do with Johns than anything else. Hypes weren't anyone's friend.

"I hate to ruin a lovely plan," Shazza raised her hand. "But that sandcat won't run off of moonbeams and rainbows." She was giving Frye a condescending look, testing her, pushing her as far as she could. Female power struggles were a fucking nightmare he decided.

"Then we carry the cells, drag them," Frye was shaking her head and moving faintly closer. "Whatever it takes."

"You want us to go out there, tonight? With all of those..."

"Bioraptors," River supplied agiain. Annoyed as all hell that she even had to speak.

"Whatever," Jack shook her head. "Those raptors are still out there and we look pretty tasty last I heard."

"No. No fucking way." Johns argued. "We've been here what, four hours now? We take shifts, wait it out until the sun comes back."

"Someone else thought the same thing twenty two years ago," Frye stared him dead in the eye. He had to give her points for trying. "How much do you weigh Johns?"

"What in the hell? Seventy-nine kilos I think," Johns answered.

"You're seventy-nine kilos of gutless white meat," she taunted him. "That's why you can't come up with a better plan."

When the shot gun came up he knew why she'd come over to his side. Knew he had to step in front too. Might not be the best person to take along, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few people he could grab something from if he ever ran into them again. Might not hurt to have her thinkin' he had his own interests in mind either. The gun didn't move from it's spot, level with Frye's head and now Riddick's heart. Scents spiked and rose all around him, rage and lust and the scent of smug closest to him, in front and behind. It was the lightest hint of jealousy that came over from the other side of the container, before it was stomped out in a hurry, that caught him the most.

"Think about that reward John," Riddick told him seriously. Shakin' so bad he didn't even notice Riddick holding a knife up against him.

"With Tam sittin' pretty over there?" Johns asked, reeking of smug arousal. "I'm willing to take a cut in pay."

"How about a cut in your gut?" he tapped the blade against Johns's skin. Amusement came over from River and more anger from Johns. Finally there was pride and lust from behind him. Everyone else sat watching, waiting to see if their loyalties would need to be fought for and who was going to come out on top.

"Oh, Trash Baby, you're gonna regret this."

"Please, can we all see reason?" Imam begged from the other side. His words put everything on pause. The fight between them was going to come, one way or another, and the girls were going to have their own thing coming up soon if jealousy and disgust kept poppin' up between them all.

Frye's hand touched his shoulder and he couldn't help the minute flinch that came form it. Cold hands and hormones running higher than he was interested in as her breasts pressed against his arm and she looked at Jack.

"They're afraid of our light," Frye told her. "That means we don't have to be so afraid of them."

"Are you certain we can ind our way back in the dark?" Imam asked the woman. The million dollar question.

"No, I'm not," Frye answered. Her other hand came to rest on his bicep and he wondered if this woman actually was insane to be touching him like he was something to her. Like she was anything but a temporary teammate to him. "But he can."

~!~!~!~

~!~!~

~!~

"I believe in miracles! Where you from? You sexy thing, you sexy thing you..." That was playing while I wrote the lemon up, hahaha! Followed by Etta James and "I just want to make love to you" and then James Brown. "Get up! Uh! Get on up, like a sex machine!" You know you guys love the soul sound, lol! And aren't you all impressed and spoiled? Two chapters in the same week, both equally as long albeit slightly less smutty than the first. I was considering a complete and utter turn to the left in this story, involving something slightly Resident evil-ish in that they end up in some kind of research thing, but i'd rather deal with that...later.

Gonna take a break for a bit to get my projects and portfolio in, then a bit of tlc for my AB/Buffy crossover at TTH. I put Dawn Summers together with Richard Zeeman in Middle Earth and they're not having a blast at all. After I put up their new chapter, it's back to these two for the third chapter, possibly final for this installment. Don't worry, I'll cover Dark Fury and eventually Chronicles, possibly even up to the new Riddick movie.


	3. Chapter 3

_The room was dark for the weakness of the light. More light coming off of River's camera than what was gathered, but smaller and less useful. There were only a few people in the circle of safety. Zeke and Shazza to one side, rigging together harnesses for the safety lighting while a small head kept bobbing into the lens, asking soft questions of the one filming. It flicked to his face for a moment and a young boy smiled before he waved at the people he may never meet. Back to those gathered and now another young face looking and waving at the camera before a very angry blonde scowled and told her to put it away. This wasn't a vacation. The recorder snorted before muttering that it was, and the worst one she'd ever been on. A fairly clean looking man chuckled at that while a large man let out a rumble. It was the last man who actually said anything, agreeing that it was a very terrible vacation indeed. The camera turned to show River looking into the lens. _

"_Preparing to go into the night. To face the hunger in a capsule of safety and run far far away from it all. Know you put a tracker in her things Daddy. Found it. Hoping you find it too. Got my doubts though. Not in you, but in the preacher man's faulty god. The signal never stops, but will it reach you in time?"_

"_Miss River," the voice of the little boy came up. A few seconds later his head was laying on her chest and he too was in the shot. "I would kindly ask that you would please write me of your journeys Captain. I have already sworn secrecy to Miss River, and would very much enjoy hearing about the Anglo Sino territory."_

_River laughed lightly and her lips touched to small turban on the little boy's head. _

"_Ali is a very smart young man. At least as smart as she is." She gave the little boy a soft look before returning to the viewer. "Smart enough to gain Blue attention, and wise enough to plan ahead and keep secrets." Something went on on the other side of the camera, people were starting to talk and River's face went slightly sour. "Will let you know more when she can. Most follow the words of a stone now. Has nothing on you Wash."_

"Was nearly a companion once," River admitted as she double checked the straps on Ali and Jack. Needed to be secure for the exodus into darkness. Imam was going over his own, Zeke and Shazza linked together by more than words right now. Carolyn was carrying her own, as well as the gun she'd demanded from River. Zeke was trusted with Johns' backup; trusted a man at his back more than a woman. Let them. River had the extra ammo and her blades with her. Never liked guns much, but easier to blame someone else for a bullet wound. If the stone pilot lost her gun there would be many a hell waiting for her. Barely a level above the shepherd's special one.

"Bet you're regretting it a bit now," Shazza laughed. "Could be on some luxury cruiser, sipping fine champagne with handsome men at your beck and call."

"So could you," River teased. "Not in her nature though. Would still be here, run away from the confines of silk and the koto lessons. Terrible, terrible koto lessons."

"Like a geisha, isn't it?" Frye asked. "Except you're a whore too." There was a pause in everyone's actions and Imam was displeased to see that another fight was about to break out. Knew the reasoning behind it but his mind wasn't soothed by the knowledge. "Just tellin' the truth. If you weren't a terrorist you'd be-"

"Do not finish that sentence." River's voice was cool and her hands weren't reaching for any weapon just yet. They itched though. The Stone was worth breaking open and letting everyone see the secrets inside. "Want to burn away the little light they have, fine, but be useful about it and leave words until they are safe from snapping jaws." River gave her a faint smile, reading an unease at the sight of it from those around her. All except two. "Would hate to leave a trail for them to follow. Know our blood now."

The two women were still for a moment before River's smile grew just a bit and she went to the door with her pup and the sister who would be soon. Zeke and Shazza were acclimating to the cold and the sound, testing to see how their light would hold up and how close they might come. Close, but not too close. Five feet between them and the gloaming of death and hunger. Just enough to take the edge off until they got home and had a real sit down dinner. Frye was seething behind her, waiting for the right moment to strike and take what she wanted, what she felt she deserved. Hoping that one of the beasts would get brave or she might stumble. Imam's loyalties were wavering. Saw the alliance of scofflaws and the feared that the brotherhood of law and civilization wasn't what it might seem. His mind filled with prayer and the girl left it alone.

"We keep the light going," the pilot spoke up. "That's all we have to do to get through this, just keep burning until we get there."

Those who cared to listen did, more than River imagined. Right now, the only thing that mattered to anyone was getting out alive. Even Jack's hero worship, something River had avoided, was being cast aside in the hope for life, liberty, pursuit of happiness that would never be attained. To be content was all the girl wanted. To live simply as herself and to find the girl hidden beneath everything.

"I'll be running about ten paces ahead," Riddick spoke to Frye, taking over where the weak of spirit faltered. "Want the light on my back, but not in my eyes. Check for cuts too, Robin's right about anything, it's that they can smell the blood running."

Panic, fear, nerves running high but coming from the brother who wasn't. Waved the mist away to check in the waters and found them tinted with blood. Trickling out and mixed with the budding need to do what all animals were hard wired to do. To mate with the biggest and baddest in the verse.

"_Tai kong suo you di xing qui dou sai jin wo de pi gu_," River muttered quietly. Would be tracking them before they even snuck away. If the shining beacon didn't call them in, let them now something rest just behind the light, then the blood would call. It was always the blood. Ali looked up at her with quiet confusion and Riddick's ears perked slightly at the sound. Not physically, but his mind was turned towards her now and he damn the man and beast both if he hadn't known since they crashed.

Fry was trying to speak quietly, and she was, but not quiet enough for River to stop hearing her. Would never speak quiet enough for that. Wanted to draw the man from the rest, easier for two to make it off the planet than nine. History was written by the winners, the survivors, why shouldn't it be them? Wanted to make a deal with him; didn't know she was late to the table with little to offer. Already had a beauty, didn't he?

"Riddick..." She began slowly, trying to word things just right. "Was thinkin' we should make some kind of deal. Just in case, you know, this actually-"

"Had it with deals," Riddick shook his head. He'd filled his quota for the day. For the week. For the year and years to come.

"But I just wanted to say-"

"Nobody's gonna turn a murderer loose. I fuckin' knew better." Knew better than to listen and let her plant the doubt of freedom in his head. "Been a long time since anyone's trusted me. That's something right there."

"We can, can't we? Trust you?" Frye tried once more. Tried to appeal to the man when it was the Beast she should be seeking out.

"Actually... that's what I been askin' myself."

Didn't make any fucking sense at all. Had a reader out of her damn mind trusting him with a helluva lot more than he was worth, and two soldiers going off of her word. Had Jack's hero worship and that wild thing inside of a kid looking to him for protection. Kids always were a bit more animal than adults were, gave in to the instinct and listened when it called. Course he'd try to protect the kid. Had to. It was River who had him confused. Saw exactly what was in his head, every death including the ones he'd ghosted while out of his fucking head after his first cryo, the ones he'd fought beside and then took out because of what he'd found, even the ones he'd killed just for getting in his way. All that and she still trusted him. Trusted him to get to the skiff even if they lost some folk and to ghost Johns when he got the chance. Wanted his heart on a platter as a gift.

Everyone was hooked up now and waiting on him. River was humming softly as Ali sat on the sled, holding tight and terrified with Jack on the other side of the sled. Zeke and Shazza guarding the rear, the latter with an old school gat they'd pillaged form Paris's things and complaining about a crooked sight. Sniper the tingle told him. Used to most any condition but better weapons as well. Hers was en route to New Mecca, luggage on a different ship than this one thanks to weight distribution. Pissed her off like nothing else to have a shitty gun. If Frye didn't have River's, he was pretty sure it would have been passed over to Shazza.

He'd clear his head up some while he jogged. Always helped to focus on something so he could break it down later. Ten paces later and they were all following along behind him, fear being blown back by the breeze coming towards him. Gave a trail to everything else too. Blood and fear and nerves drew in every predator that was brave enough to follow the light and wait for someone to pick off.

Riddick followed the tracks as long as he could, heard River giving hushes to the boy and whispering soft secrets to him. Brushing away the nerves and the fear of the kid and Jack. Makin' them calm for herself as much as she was doing it for him. Course, someone eventually noticed that he wasn't on the trail anymore. Leave it to the pilot to bring it up, better than Johns though and it wasn't like the folks in the back could even see the tracks after they'd been trampled through.

"Riddick!" Shouting at him too. Must have read into him a lot more than he'd intended. "Where are the sand cat tracks? Why aren't we following them?"

"Saw something I didn't like," He answered easily enough. Saw that hunger River had been going on about. The hunger for blood, sex, and violence, just like any kind of monster.

"Such as..?" Johns trailed off.

"Hard to tell sometimes...even for me," Riddick shrugged. The tingle wasn't amused by the act e needed to give the others. She was tired of running and letting him know the light was going to run out before they go to the skiff if they didn't keep on. He was glad the shadows hid his grin. River smelled damn cute when she was pouting. "Looked like a bunch of those big boys chewin' each other's gonads off to make themselves a family. Thought we'd swing wide, if that's okay by you."

"Let's move," Fry adjusted herself. Her next words were to Jack, almost ignoring Ali. "He'll get us there."

"Never a doubt in her mind," River leaned on her hip.

"If it is all one, I should like to switch," Imam breathed heavily. Older than Zeke, fitter, but his age was catching up and there was something off about his heartbeat.

"Might be best," Zeke nodded. "Shazza, you coming up with me?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "If it's all fine with the captain."

Frye argued for just a second before taking the settlers place. A quick switch around gave all of them a breather and soon enough, Riddick was moving again, fixated on the place he knew they needed to be. Even if he only got three people out of this damn place it would be enough. Things started to go bad though. He saw the light around him dimming before anyone else. Shazza's lamp was dimming, running out of fuel to burn and letting one of the raptors following them get just a bit closer.

"Son of a bitch," she shouted when she realized. Hands were steady, but not quite steady enough when she tripped and that side went dark. Lights hit her quickly as she hurried to refuel but the clicking of the thing tracking them was getting louder. For just a second, the sand shifts and Shazza's being pulled down hill by sand and Riddick can see the creature coming down for them. She's falling into shadow but this time it isn't River who saves the woman. It's her husband. Zeke's thrown himself from the sled and his adrenaline let's him toss her back into the ring of light.

Just in time. Zeke is gone and his screams are ringing in everyone's ears until the woman he saved saves him. One shot with the gun he dropped puts and end to it. Riddick can see the man's head lose it's shapes. Zeke's brain is all over the sand and the raptors while something hard and plastic covers the woman's scent. Her face is drawn as she falls back into the soldier and River is turning into her own stoney face persona.

"Let's get a move on," she said in a voice that wasn't quite her own. Something that made the new widow straighten up and heft the gun while Johns started hefting by himself. "No reason to linger in enemy territory."

~!~

Too much was flying through the air. Would be better to simply run for the skiff and wait until morning but her words would fall on deaf ears and she'd rather not be stuck in a smaller room with the same people. Food, water, drugs, could keep them all occupied or sedated until it was through but the tempers that rose wouldn't let them last. Too many chefs in the kitchen taking up space and pounding their chests. Who would die next? Her money was on Johns. Kept lifting his shotgun, pointing and waving it, craving his drops like they were water. Could only boast for so long and Riddick was waiting to take him out.

"Stay in the light!" Frye shouted. Went without saying but she was trying to keep everything together. "Everybody! Stay in the fucking-"

"We crossed our own tracks," Shazza interrupted her. Voice cold as fire burned inside of her. Turning into Zoe. Was that who Zoe was before? Was Wash pulling her away from the widow she might have been? Never liked to overhear with Zoe, tried hard not to. Would try hard not to listen on Shazza either. Not unless a red flag was waving high above her.

"He's running us around in circles," Johns clarified for the confused pilot. "Look for yourself. Look!"

Didn't need to. Felt the canyon become a lake of burning need. Hunger and sex flying and crawling around like maggots on a corpse. Ignored them all. Ignored the shouts and the accusations to keep her hand in Ali's and speak softly to the child. The think on the outcomes of actions boiling in everyone's minds. Riddick would tell now. Couldn't afford not to. Couldn't risk losing another sled dog even as Imam went to take his old place and pull. Not enough strength and speed in the women and Jack's secret would give another reason to hurry.

"Canyon ahead," Riddick answered in his rumbling voice. The voice that made her spine arch when he spoke. Like chocolate and coffee, rich and earthy on her tongue, bittersweet in her mind. Gave her solace to know he'd try to get her and the kid out if nothing else. "I circled once to buy some time to think."

"Think about what?" Fry asked.

"About how to kill us and still get the cells to the skiff," Johns echoed his own thoughts. "Goddamnit, we're just doin' the heavy lifting for this prick."

"About the girl," Riddick answered. River felt eyes on her from all directions and suspicion warring with knowing and desire.

"What about her?" Frye asked. Didn't want to think on tiny girls and the lust they might incite. Too fragile for things Stone could endure.

"What it's gonna be like when we hit that canyon with her bleedin'."

Eyes were on her again, looking at white cotton and exposed skin for bloodstains.

"What are you jaw-jackin' about?" Johns asked. "Girl's not cut."

"Wasn't talking about her," River answered for the Beast. A delicate hand raised and pointed to Jack, revealing the truth of things known to see the light of the moon. "Was talking about her. Blood moon brings more than just the hunger." It took a minute for them to realize and the shock of it physically shook the Stone in her setting.

"I didn't want you to leave me there." Jack's words were shaking, watery and swaying as hormones overcame and brought on fresh feelings. "I didn't want to stay at the ship, that's why I didn't say anything."

"And you?" Johns asked as Shazza and Caroline tried to console the girl who was. "Why didn't you say anything? Couldn't give us a heads up?"

"Easier to travel as a boy than as a girl," River shrugged. "Took her on, knowing what she was. I haven't been with her long enough to predict her menstruation cycles. Not my type."

"This can't be happening to me..." The merc was scrubbing his face with his hands while Imam took the rest for all it was worth. Wouldn't have to pull much longer. Wouldn't have the light to do so.

"They been nose-open for her ever since we left." Riddick gave tot he rest of them. "Told ya they go off blood back at the ship."

"Then we will keep her close," Imam decided for them all. "She'll be safe if we put her here, between-"

"There is no safe," River sang. "No home base to touch to keep time from flowing. Eats away at our fuel until nothing but cinder and bone remains for the corpse to keep. Will be dust in the wind while they fight over who we were. Love the brain pan, tastiest morsels simmering inside, just waiting to be shared."

The breeze grew up, turned into a wind and hit them with a wave of hunger and stirred up the sorrow and fury until River let it was wash over her to escape it all. Made them nervous, her words working at their nerves while the wind blew them about in their brains. Even the Beast was wondering if she was alright; had she gone wooly without his notice or was she trying to make them nervous?

"It's not gonna work," Frye finally spoke. "We gotta go back."

The devil brayed like an ass into the night. Big gauge was slung over his shoulder as the lack of drops, the pressure of being a good man, and the weight of being prey finally started to crack at his careful mask of law and justice. The Beast was just waiting, for her, for all of them, of that she couldn't know, not until he knew why he waited.

"Hey, _You're_ the one who got me out here, turned me into a goddamn sled dog," Johns pointed to the pilot. Always thinking he was more than what he was. Dogs had loyalty and kindness with a mind for the pack; the devil was selfish and always would be. "An' now you 'spect me to go back like a whipped dog?"

"I was wrong. I admit it. My bad, okay?" Frye bit out. "Now let's just go back to the ship."

She tried not to make her eye contact with the others obvious. They would continue or they would die. Her tribe was larger and at a higher risk, but they were better at following orders and had more fighters.

"Your bad?" River asked. She could not keep the amusement and shock from her voice. Could not keep the impatience from her being as the pilot that would be queen gave her a dismissing look and her resolve tried to push itself up. "Your bad how exactly? Do you think you're so gorram important that you can simply dictate the will of everyone around you?"

"You sure you aren't a schizo?" Fry shot back. "Might be why they didn't take at the wore's guild? We need-"

"Drop the act," River scowled at her. Knew now what the beast had been waiting for. Waiting for everything to come to a head and for the argument to end now. "Doesn't care if she has the Parliament in front of her, cares nothing for life, especially not those around her. Only cares for them so far as they can take her. We keep going so the fallen will not have done so in vain."

"Miss Fey, she's the captain," Imam tried to break into the fight again. Knew it was futile as he did so.

"Hardly. Docking pilot. Do you not remember she took our tickets?" River gave the man a look. "I remember much more than that. I was awake during that crash and I heard her drop the load."

Minds were clicking in place, trying to move forward until Jack asked the million dollar question.

"During the crash, as your Sarah and the captain died, choking on their own blood-"

"What good does that do?" Fry asked, mind whirling and her own oily monster coming up to fight.

"Heard Owens tell her to stop. That she was responsible for every life on board, but it didn't stop her." River pressed on past Frye's protests. "Dropped five hundred passengers before Owens could block the door. Boom, down into the earth, burning away and furious that she couldn't drop us to save her own skin. She has us doing the heavy lifting, disposable once the skiff is read for her."

"Would you rag your whore mouth!" Fry lunged at her. Easy to dodge, all rage and fear, no direction, no thought beyond tackling her to the ground and ripping her eyes out. Didn't need eyes to see. Needed hardly a touch to disarm the woman and boot her aside. River offered her pistol to Shazza before slipping it back where it belonged. She bent slightly, locking eyes with Frye as she spoke the truth.

"We're not alive because of her. We're alive in spite of her." River laughed lightly and shaken nerves wound up again. "Stone hearts may stay if they wish, but we are going forward."

Just like that, they were moving forward again. Shazza and Jack were pulling the sled with Johns while Imam offered confession to Stone. Stones didn't speak. They acted as stones act. Slower now, preparing to run through the hunger in the canyon and needing everyone to stick as close as they could. Needed to build up their strength for what was to come. Needed to build their courage once the weak had fallen away. Was starting now, the Beast and the Devil about to dance in the night.

~!~

Riddick didn't want anything to do with female head games ever again. Knew it was impossible, but if he could help it at all, he was going to stay very far from the fairer sex. Course, that meant dodging Beautiful and seeing to his own needs. Strange thing, putting her at the top of things he'd miss. Probably be able to pick up any head games early on, but the thought of her doing it to him...was actually a ridiculous one. She had her things, honest about what she wanted and pleasant enough most times. Only when someone had it out for her did she strike back. He could relate to that.

Johns was coming closer. Twitching and shaking to anyone's eye and smelling slicker than usual.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it," He spoke up from Riddick's side.

"Just realized that, huh?" What the fuck was he thinkin' on now? The raptors were clicking nearby, not close enough to be a threat, just within hearing range. He could see them if he looked, feeding with less fervor than when they'd had Zeke in front of them. Johns fired a shot at them and Riddick's ears rang from it. If he didn't have brain damage by the end of this trip he'd be shocked. Had him thinkin' on the concussion Beautiful was still swaying from; She was just waiting for Johns to stop moving.

"Seven of us left," Johns started again. "If we could get through the canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite the fucking feat, huh?" He gave Riddick a sideways look and looked every bit the devil Riddick had first called him. "A good thing, right?"

"Not if I'm the one," Riddick answered. No tingle this time, just enough to tell him that she was staying out of it; he wasn't complaining.

"What if you're one of five?"

Riddick stared at him. The goggles hid just enough of his eyes to keep the shock from showing and Johns' vision was blurred enough that he missed Riddick's eyebrows raising at it. Mistook it for interest.

"I'm listening."

"What are they doing up there?" Jack asked.

"Talkin' bout the canyon I s'pose," Shazza answered her. "Figuring out how to get us through."

River was coming over, Ali's hand tight on hers. There was a look on her face, like Sarge's and a million other men and women who knew something was about to happen. It was the look that told a body they had to do something they weren't going to like. Nothing could be worse than what she'd already done.

"Look, it's hellified stuff, but not much different than those battlefield doctors when they decide who lives or dies," Johns explained. "It's called 'triage', somethin' the soldier and Tam will understand, okay?"

"Kept calling it murder when I did it," Riddick pointed out.

"Either way, figure it's something you can grab onto."

"Sacrifice play," Riddick said the words out loud. The thing Johns was trying hard as hell not to say; wouldn't daddy be proud now? "Hack up one body, leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum."

"_Trawl _with it," Johns emphasized. "There's a cable on the sled. We can drag the body behind us."

"Nice embellishment." The man was too far gone to pick up on sarcasm at this point.

"Don't wanna feed these landsharks," he shook his head. River might have a trace of madness, but Johns had a whole rope of it wrapping around him. "Just keep 'em off our scent."

"So which one caught your eyes?" He had to look and see if River was at least sharing everything. Looking after her own, like usual, soft words to Jack and Shazza as she adjusted their units to cycle off of smaller battery packs. Ali's lights were hooked up to her own instead of the sled and there was something she hadn't told him just yet.

"Don' look, Don' look, Don' look, Don' look," Johns hissed, grabbing his arm. All kinds of liberties being taken with his body these days, huh?

"Must follow them, hold them to gunpoint if needs be. Not enough to pull the sled and keep the light," River whispered to the two older women. "Imam will have little choice, connected to Stone and words."

"Not happy about going a bit dimmer," Shazza shifted to check the ease she could fire with. "Or the headlight."

"Better than nothing," River smiled faintly. "Could go brighter if Jack linked to her, but it is safer for her to go with the others. More light to keep the blood at bay."

"Not gorram happy about this." Jack dodged the half hearted swipe from the older woman. New curses were always fun for dark times. "Gonna do it though, but only 'cause you and Riddick cooked something up."

"Go, tell them you must recharge." River shooed the younger girl along. "Will believe it and Fry will be glad to share with the new flock. We will follow shortly, and hook up to the packs on the sled."

Jack trudged over, not happy at all, and Shazza was prepared to run. Australian shepherd to the wayward sheep while pups ran about in wooly coats. Disguising themselves to the ewe and the billy until the time was right. Hoped Jack would not suffer through their stupidity. Imam was listening to Frye still, trying to boost her spirits as the pilot asked him to slow down. Needn't have.

"Figure we can use the girl, maybe the boy too, makes Tam all docile and gets the others listening, you know?"

"What're their names, anyway?" Riddick asked.

"What do you care?" Johns asked.

"I don't," Riddick shrugged. Long as he had something to call them it was fine.

"Than let's not name the Thanksgiving dinner, okay?" Johns was stressing his words again. Getting real desperate. "I'm going to guess you got some kind of shiv. Can't see you just going unarmed after giving up Tam's switchblade."

"You expect me to do it?" Riddick did let his surprise through. Really was going through withdrawal if he was trying to get Riddick to do the one thing every merc knew he wouldn't. Killing kids was one of the things most mercs wouldn't even do. Not Johns though. Devil didn't give a shit on who lived and who died.

"What's one more to you?" Johns snorted. "Like _they're_ going to be the ones who send you to hell?"

"Oh, you're a piece of art Johns," Riddick chuckled. "Ought-ta hang you in a museum somewhere." Riddick looked him in the eyes and Saw the rest of the party slower and preparing to dash. Jack was hooked to the others, safer with them and the women...had an idea. "Actually, forget the museum. They should just hang you."

"Alright," Johns nodded. He rubbed his palms on his pants and shook his shoulders out like it would get rid of everything. "You do the boy first, smaller. I'll keep the others off your back while you get the girl." He noticed Riddick stopping and turned to him. When he still didn't move, Johns's face pinched. "Aw, don't' tell me you're growin' scruples."

"Nah," Riddick shook his head. "Just wonderin' if we don't need a bigger piece of chum."

"Like who? Mr. Crislam? The widow?"

Riddick gave him a look and Johns had a half second before he got it.

River watched the fight erupt and locked eyes with Shazza. It was now she would need to run. Dimmer than before but just safe enough to bring them back. Needed everyone to get free. River held tight to Ali as Frye pushed and pulled at those connected to her. Took the torches and the hand-lights and Jack as she bolted and Shazza took after them. Just paces behind as she went; needed to give those boys enough time to finish it and Frye enough time to wear herself out. Just crazed enough to rush a woman with a gun. Had to stay in the light. Fry was faster than anticipated and the fight longer, Shazza would need to run quicker to stop them long enough for the Beast to help her herd them home.

Ali held tighter to her in the night and River pulled her gun loose. Their light was dimming as it adjusted to the power cells. Break down in communication left them with four instead of the three they needed to fly away. Had three more minutes before they would shine again. Brighter than before and a beacon to all who wandered. She was the shining beacon of civilization and it made her laugh just enough.

"Miss River?" Ali asked softly. Memories of hiding with his mother in the basement and knowing that the steel on his head was a mercy when the soldiers burst through the door.

"Don't look," River put her lips to his turban again. It was going askew and when she tried to fix it, it fell yet further. "Apologies."

"I'm scared," he pushed his face further into her neck.

"I know. It's okay to be scared sometimes. Healthy." The light was dimming even more and Ali could feel it in the air around them. "Don't look."

Impressive. The way a human mind could work sometimes. Always interesting to see who kept their mind and who went primal. Fight, fly, or freeze; Fry was a flyer. Imam a fighter when he needed to be. Shazza was the frozen one right now, but not out of fear. Nah, she'd stonewalled the runners with Johns' other gun aimed at Frye's head. Knew he was coming round too, saw him, heard him, didn't matter. Part of being a unit he guessed.

"Heading back to the ship, huh?" Riddick's words sent more fear into the air than the rifle at the heads did.

"Get out of our way," Fry demanded. She was shaking, watching her world crumble around her and trying to figure out how to save her pride and her ass.

"So everybody huddle together until the lights burn out?" He asked. "Until you can't see what's eating you? That's the big plan? Notice anything missing?" Riddick asked. "Anyone?"

He didn't give them time to answer. Johns's shotgun was on Riddick's shoulder now, hanging behind him until he actually needed it, but enough of a statement to make them turn around like Shazza had tried to get them to do. The woman was only partly annoyed from her scent, wasn't willing to shoot anyone when they needed to get the hell out of Dodge. Course, River and the boy were faint, almost too faint for even his eyes out in the dark. A gleam that could have been anything on the sand before Riddick's eyes watered when her light flared. Letting the whole damn planet know exactly where she was. He'd need his goggles just to get back to her at this rate.

Shazza wasn't at the back of the train this time, but running next to Fry with her eyes fixed on the woman as much as they were on the darkness. Jack and Imam were keeping close to the other two women, the former hooking herself back up to the older woman and causing the both of them to shine brighter. Nothing was so bright as River though. Nothing could be as bright as that girl. Genius the tingle whispered. The closer they got, the more her light dimmed, saw her adjusting it when they finally got close enough, making it just bright enough to give them a bit more space and push Riddick just a bit further up in front of them. At that distance, with the light as his back, it let him see a bit more. More light bouncing off of what was in the dark and back into his head.

"Kept a light burning for you," River hummed. She slid her pistol back and Ali lifted his head with relief on his face. Didn't take much to figure why she'd had it resting on the kids back. "Quickly, before she burns away. A damn of sticks cannot hold a river forever."

"The fuses will burn out quite soon," Ali nodded. "Perhaps in the next hour, if we are quite lucky. They seemed quite old when we went over them earlier, so it is best to guess for twenty-five minutes, so we are not disappointed."

Clever kid. Riddick grabbed hold of the sled's reins and began pulling. Worse now than the first time, but he was pulling more than twice the weight. When he got to the canyon rim though, they all paused. They couldn't make ti through in fifteen minutes. No fucking way. Not with the raptors down there, some only part way out of the earth before they were fed upon by those waiting.

"Must carry on," River's voice echoed clear. "The Beast will take three cells, Jack stays in the middle and we will drag the fourth together until there is respite."

"Can't make it," Riddick argued. "You see any place to hide down there?"

"Must do what they can. Survive on the cell until they burn away, abandon it and rely on the spirits until we can fly." Dead set on going for it, wasn't she.

"And Ali?" He asked. Kid couldn't run as fast as everyone else, she had to know that.

"Will stay with her if he cannot manage the weight on his back."

Dead set on someone getting off the rock. Ali was silent behind her and waiting for Imam to finish apologizing. The holy man knew who the kid would go with once this was done, just finishing things up and making sure he was certain of his choice. Frye was coming over though, Shazza still watching her with a half eye as she continued patrol duty. Comfort in routine.

"What are we doing?" the blonde asked. Assumed she was blonde anyhow. Light colors were all the same to him. Different shades on pink. Except River, she turned blue in his eyes when they started having fun. Something interesting to think on later.

"Taking the cells and the kid," Riddick told her. River was acknowledged and ignored at the same time. Estrogen floating all through the air as they kept on with their silent competition. "You guys are behind me, keeping Jack in the center while you all keep on with the lantern cell."

"We're here to carry your light, aren't we?" she asked him. She was looking at him hard, with a closed mouth and trying to see if anything she thought she'd grabbed hold of before was still there now. Took her a good second to realize it had never been there. "Just the torch bearers."

"Never understood team work," River hummed as she handed Riddick a protein biscuit. Just a little chunk of one of the big bars. The kind that could last a family for a month. "Have enough in her pack to keep them going for at least so long. More if they don't like their kids very much."

He couldn't help the grin that spread across his lips as he chewed. So matter of fact and light hearted that it just brought his laughter out. Had a way of doing that he wasn't quite sure on just yet. Blue afterglow, helping him hunt, making him laugh when he didn't feel like it. Something strange about her. Frye only gave the girl another look, tying to figure out what bonded them apart from being criminals. Wasn't much of anything really, except trust. That was something mighty big. The trust she'd given him. The way she kept on watching his back and faith he'd get hers in return.

"Why?" Frye was asking. She was insulted, he could smell it on her. Wanted to know why he wasn't just letting the kid keep riding the sled. Why was he taking River's kid piggybacking while they all had to run behind him as targets.

"Can't run as fast as everyone else," Riddick answered. "Need to run through this thing. Blazing for all we're worth."

"Suspects he has a thing for polished girls with sharp things."

The stone had rolled away while the Beast and the beauty went about their tasks. Kept on calling her as such, hard not to see herself through the filter that was his mind. Even as she worked to lash the cells together and Riddick rigged himself a new harness for the cells and the kid to hold on to. Lot of weight to handle. Ali was working beside his new momma, fixing his little string of lights to give them just enough safety without burning out too soon or ruining Riddick's sight. Thought on her as the new momma, but wouldn't say so until she agreed. Never had to think on it before.

"She's not my kind of crazy," Riddick agreed. "Difference between not caring and apathy."

"Would it not have been better to crash fully, and all go down together if no other option could be found?" Ali asked. "It would be more merciful to all."

"Technically," Riddick shrugged. River wasn't answering the question, her hands had paused when the overwhelming flicker of thoughts came her way. All of them on the same idea. Knew she ws the new mother, but too many brought in the father. Did not need a mate to rear the pup, but it kept flickering in and out of minds. "Best not to need to. Don't care for a ship where the crew goes into cryo."

Imam was coming over to them. His mind was the strongest of them. Matched the tone of skin and dark curls together to see a family on a camping trip.

"Just keep walkin' preacher man," she told him before he could begin his blessings.

"What're you doing?" Riddick asked instead. Had a suspicion but nothing concrete, nothing he wanted to think on either. Echoed in his mind as much as everyone else's.

"Blessing you like the others." Between River's words and Riddick's look he found only Ali willing to sit through it. "It is painless."

"And pointless," Riddick snorted.

"I see," he spoke moments later. Needed some kind of steady beat in his world, but he was dancing to a crooked tune. "Well, even if you don't believe in God, it does't mean he won't be-"

"You don't see." Riddick interrupted. He shrugged his harness on and tested out what River had done as he kept speaking. "Cuz you don't spend half of your life in lock-down with a horse bit in your mouth and not believe. And you surely don't start out in a liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and not believe." The beast's mind had gone bitter and jagged. Too soon to try to brush it away. He need it like air. "Oh, I absolutely believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker."

Imam wondered if they weren't perfect for Ali. The boy who doubted.

"Miss Tam?" Wanted to know when she'd lost her faith.

"Fourteen," she answered softly. "Details unfit for little ears and the spirits must be raised as they journey into darkness. God has no business with me. If he is with her, watching, then that is all he does."

"Perhaps," Imam began. "Perhaps a hope then? A wish, from myself to you, to put positive thoughts into the air."

Wasn't letting go, but his words were true. Positive thoughts into the air and surety for himself that Ali would be happy and cared for by a set. Two were better than one. Sought to wed them with words and leave the documents out of it. Let the Beast know. Needed to keep him aware of the world and of things he couldn't know by his own readings. River helped Ali adjust and Riddick let out a sigh.

"Make it quick," he grumbled. "Burning light."

They would be dead nearly three quarters of the way through. Then they would need to go at a hard burn. Imam's words washed over them, heavier than she'd thought as the Beasts' mind wondered and turned over in his mind what was happening. Shotgun wedding by an unarmed priest. Crazy woman for a partner. Kid on his back and glowing like a little firefly. Was trying not to laugh again.

"All set," She petted the beast on the shoulder. Thought to kiss him, best left until fewer eyes were on them. "Listen, and watch carefully. She will be just up ahead."

He rose, bouncing and ready to move. The weight would not throw him overly much and Ali could hook the cells up much faster than Riddick could; the three of them knew this. The holy man was finished now and his mind was radiant with joy. Would catch on to the others, to Jack and to Shazza, even to Frye. River gave Ali a small smile and kissed his hand before joining the others at the lamp. She would be keeping watch while Fry and Imam pulled the single cell and Jack ran with them.

Didn't let the fear in. Kept it far away until they would be safe and sound. Ali was lighter than anticipated; made the beast worry before shaking it from his head and running along behind them. Only barely behind them, goggles on as they dashed through. Hunger above, screaming for their impudence and the brass they used to run through their gatherings. Return later, look through, see if the research center was here or someplace else. Return when the hunger was satiated and the suns high above. Or not at all. Preferred to not visit at all.

"Don't look," Riddick's voice sounded as the whisper of life began to drip around them. Watering soil that would never grow. Little fluttering things coming at them and fluttering away with in pain and rage. "Do Not look up," he growled again, louder and keeping Ali's mind focused.

Stone proved it was very bad at listening. Looked up and saw the hunger. Stumbled and would have cried out had the rest not continued on. Had the Beast not roared and the family urged her from all around. Patrol duty, keeping them safe enough until they truly needed to run or hide. Run or hide. Prayer and mantra come from all mouths, in all languages as they ran until Shazza spotted what lay ahead.

"Riddick!" Shazza called back to him. Didn't slow down like the others, had been through worse on Nawleans. The girl had done worse whenever Reavers and Raiders thought to take a bite.

"What?" Fry asked. Then she saw it. "Riddick? What is that?"

"I't s fucking staircase!" He shouted. "Go over it!"

Jack grabbed hold of the strap hanging loose in the woman's fingertips and began dragging with Imam.

"Go over it!" River pushed her forward.

Not unkindly, but enough to remind her. Enough to get her going again. Faulty engine and poor fuel for the stone pilot. Never slow down, never stop moving. Clicking raptors shied away so long as there was light but they knew it could not last forever. Hiding until the could snap and take until One did. Hid from her, hid his hungry in the death, clever and snapping at Jack until steel flashed and it breathed no more. The offering was not enough for gravity. The girl who wasn't tumbled down the collection to the floor beneath and Ali was standing in the light with them, terror coming out of his pores as the Beast slid down to save the girl.

"Come," River pulled him closer. The lantern was dimming yet more and Jack's light dimmer still. An omen or chemistry? The girl focused her handlight on the creature, causing it to shriek and scream as Shazza followed suit. Couldn't fire without risking the girl's life, could only wait for her to free herself or the beast to hunt.

A wondrous thing to watch him defend the makeshift family. Grace of his own, sharp and precise as he slid under and peeled the stomach of the raptor open with his blade. Thankful to have a real one with which to slice and spill. The little things. Jack was hurrying back to the light, plugging into the lantern cell and dimming them just a bit more than they had been.

"Didn't know who he was fuckin' with," Riddick scowled at the raptor. Adrenaline and a chance to destroy one of the things that dared hunt him in his own realm.

"She," River corrected as he returned to them. Could feel a numb sensation coming off of the other minds. "Mostly. Prefers females as they are the most like it was." She smiled at him. "Fights between women can be dangerous."

"No shit," he shook his head. "Ali!"

The boy hurried back over and climbed on and Riddick picked the cells up once more. Never stop moving. To stop would mean to accept defeat, to accept death and loss, couldn't do that now. They would break and crumble and live on on the twisted minds of the bioraptors. Could feel bits of Zeke floating above her, trying to find what it wanted, what in craved from the others. Wouldn't find it. Not so long as they ran and Shazza hid in sight.

Thought it was sweat for a moment, the tears of her own form spilling as she ran, until another hit, then another and yet more still.

"Oh no," Frye whispered, slowing down despite everyone continuing on. The flicker of hope that she might die was a petty one and River ignored it in favor of continuing on. Couldn't though. Imam was slowing down too.

"Rain," he breathed.

"Sing in the rain," River pushed the blonde yet again. "Singing and dancing, doesn't matter what they do so long as they keep moving!"

Did matter though. Couldn't light the rest of the way if the heavens sought to keep her light unlit. God didn't just watch it seemed. He punished unjustly, cruel intentions raining down upon them.

"_Zhu ah,"_ Shazza took the strap from Frye's hands. "_Ni ming ming zhi dao wo shi bang ni zuo shi, you he biz zhao wo ma fan ne_?"

"_Mo min chi meow_," River countered. "Holy man says he just watches."

"Where's your god now, huh?" Riddick called from the back. "I'll tell you where! He's up there Pissing on Me!"

"And apparently pisses on people," Shazza joked.

Brightness in mind and soul, flickering for moments and trying to catch fire as they sloughed through the quickening sand that pooled around them. Couldn't though. Not all of them. Jack's reproductive system was giving her troubles and Imam's breath was struggling to come back to him. Slowed to a stop and rested, the Beast setting his cargo down and shifting to the head of the group. Self assigned position as leader of the merry jaunt.

"Explains the lack of flowers," River nodded to bring the fire just a bit brighter. "Pissed on once every two decades by a drunkard? Golden showers do not bring golden flowers."

Worked, brought on memories of happier times when she sloughed through mud and blood. Old stories and laughs. War Stories. The need to get to Sarge because if anyone could make things right, it would be him. Daddy to many, just didn't know it.

"Must give you my camera once we get to New Mecca," River hummed. Kept a close eye on Ali by her feet. Building again, focusing on what was only theory, for theory could change and adapt. "Do not feel like facing Daddy and ge-ge at once."

Shazza laughed and took a knee on the ground. Checked her gear over and focused on that idea. On seeing Zoe again and on Daddy, meeting the crew and wondering if they needed a cook until she gathered the courage to go see her father. River turned away from it, keeping a half ear on her to kick up sparks of joy and light. Needed it to get through. Ali was fine beside the woman, well lit and protected, Jack curled on the ground as pain sparked through her. River paused beside her for a moment, crouching and pulling something from her bag for the girl.

"Take two," River told her as she pulled the bottle out. Pain killers, muscle relaxers, things that only altered the River's flow somewhat. Opened up little gates to the fore bay instead of letting the damn break. "Have plenty of water now."

"Riddick? How close?" Frye's voice went across the air. Didn't matter how close or how far.

The Beast didn't answer. Could see the dim light of the skiff against the settlement. Could see things crawling about before leaving as quickly as they came. Hurt to see what they were and what they'd done to their own. Hurt them and drew a fury from what remained of their minds and the hunger to become again. Looked to her dark hair companions and nodded.

"Tell me the settlement is right there!" Frye tried again. "Riddick please!"

"Can't make it," River answered instead. The cell lantern was dying quicker now, had done well, but not well enough. "Not enough light. Must hide away someplace until the heavens cease to weep."

The Beast was not so straightforward and focused as to ignore a possible hideaway she realized. Barely behind them, just a few paces behind, he'd seen a crevice. A cave just big enough for them to wait it out. To be calm and safe. Didn't know if he would stay with them though. Couldn't help him make his choice either. His to life to take or give as he saw fit. Enough room.

Imam set about to lighting a liquor torch as soon as he could. The lantern lit enough and not enough at all and the holy man was in need of something true. Saw now the reasons ancestors worshipped the sun and the stars and the moon above them. The Beast came in just far enough to be covered by the light.

"What's got you giggling?" he asked. Doubt in her sanity yet again and the admission that he should stop wondering.

"Cavemen," she answered simply. "What else?"

He looked around and shook his head with that vague grin again. The kind that didn't tell you what was going to happen next. Except she did. He was seeing her half lit in a cave, dripping wet as white cotton clung to her skin and teased him without meaning to. Was happy to be a caveman now. Could sit in the back, keep the lights burning until the rain stopped or the sun rose.

"Think you can hook another string of lights to that cell?" he asked.

"Need to let it dry first. Don't know how it melted or what was damaged." It had been pulled from the cell already, filling the cave with an acrid scent and allowing the golden glow of fire to them all. Warmer to match the thoughts, calming to weary souls. The Beast was standing closer to her now, watching her and waiting. "Mustn't be wicked. Need to rest and allow for nature to take course."

"Pretty damn natural from where I'm standing."

"Not a caveman," she rolled her eyes. "Will not fornicate in front of children" she lifted a finger to cut his next thoughts off "Nor will she partake in fellatio without privacy. Not fit for eyes to see."

"Ruining my vacation," he chuckled. Ali was coming over to the with a torch and a roll of duct tape. "So thats what kept poking me."

"It looked useful," Ali nodded. Not apologizing at all as he handed the torch to River and attempted to pull some of the tape loose. "My father would tape torches to the walls when the power left us. I believe it gave him something to do, and now, I will follow in his steps."

"Not too far I hope," Riddick took the torch from River and held it against the wall. "Go see how Jack's doin, see if those pills kicked in yet."

She did so. Not the only one injured and ailing, though far less now than she had been. Drugged up and perfectly happy with sitting in the dirt against a dry rock wall. Shazza had been cut and Imam had a gash in his arm, keeping silent to keep from being left behind and run on towards safety. Time to play at doctor and ensure they were safe. Pulled her bag open in front of the solider and gestured for her leg to come forward. The pant slid up and the cut was worse than either had expected. Deep and staining pale skin crimson. Cleaned it first, cleaned and bentadine smeared atop before a length of bandage was cut and pressed atop.

"Bloody hell," Shazza breathed out a few seconds later. "What the hell is that?"

"Topical painkiller applied to the bandage before being packaged. Used by Alliance soldiers, lifted it from a salvage job. More claimed from the settlement." River cleaned the rest of her skin up before waving Imam over. "Waterproof, should seal the injury until appropriate treatment can be procured."

"We have got to get some of these," Shazza shifted to let Imam sit beside her. He'd removed his shirt to allow her to treat his shoulder; no other way to be done. Saw the reason for his faith. Must believe in something to survive such things. Wondered why and when river would get hers back.

"Is he allowed pain killers?" River asked as she cleaned it up. Would tend to the Beast next. Nearly finished taping the torches to the walls.

"Yes, and praise be for that," he nodded his head. It wasn't as deep as Shazza's, but there was equal pain on the already taxed man. Never healthy growing up, barely survived what came before the long night. His thoughts calmed as the medicated pad came over his shoulder and he moved it tentatively. A side of him long buried was peeking up through sand. Like Book.

"Are you well?" she asked of the blonde.

"Yeah. Dehydrated, exhausted, but not bleeding." Saw them as bait until the wound was sealed. Brighter now in her mind and around them all. "You got any more protein?"

He and Ali finished just as the protein was being dished out. Kid didn't half ass it when he was setting up the lights. Had them figured out to burn at a steady pace and didn't skimp on the tape. Felt around for the best place to put them and set them on the ground if there wasn't anything. Like she said, he was happy to eat now. Took the biscuit without complaint and took a place beside Imam before he started talking. Jack was nibbling at her own, a ball of hormones in her own little corner. Watching him with hopeful eyes and starting a whole new head game with people who knew and didn't care to take part.

"Sit," River gestured to the spot in front of her. The only one standing out of everyone. "Must check him over."

"Caveman style?" he asked.

"Nurse Tam," she teased back. "Sit, please. She will feed him and make sure he has not been cut."

Damn if he wasn't thinking on her in a nurse's getup. Cute little cap, tiny little skirt, just as soaking wet as she was now though. He took the spot in front of her and let her check over his back, his arms, even his neck and the beginning of his ass before she handed him a chunk of protein and moved to the front of him. Not a bad place to be with her. Trying to keep herself focused and making his thoughts scatter before he could get them defined. Took him a second to remember he was influencing her like that first time. Didn't need that right now. Seduction was different than what that had been.

"Neither here nor now," she whispered to him. Didn't need to shout in this place. Everything echoed. A few were looking at her like she was mad, Shazza wondering before refocusing on cleaning the gun she'd grabbed off of her dead husband and the shotgun from Johns. Ali didn't care at all. Better to have crazy parents than none.

"Maybe not, but I'm not usually in the habit of feeling guilty over sex."

The scowl he got from River was equal in value to the shock he got from Frye and Imam. Completely worth it and damn if she wasn't surprised he'd say it out loud.

"Knows he pleased her first," she scoffed. She was checking his calves over as best she could, satisfied with what she saw even if she wasn't happy with what her ears heard. "Hardly complaining." Except there was something about her face or her scent, something primal that told him she was thinking on something else. Her voice fell down to the barest whisper. "Fuses are shot, melted into the steel that contains the power they need. Not enough fuel to last through the night or the storm."

Riddick glanced over at the others. He could make it. If he went with the cells he could hook them up, get the skiff running, go. Except there were two things wrong with that. The first of which was his psychic partner and wife, at least by the word of a holy book and the law of hell. Match made in hell...made him grin just a bit. The tingle was staying out of his head, letting him think his way through whatever he had planned. First time he met a reader who knew how to stay out of someone's head, much less kept quiet about what they saw inside. Something about that, about letting the holy man do it, if only for morale heaped a whole bunch of morals onto him. Killing someone wasn't the same as leaving your wife and stepkid to die in a cave in the dark. Even if it was just words, they were heavy words and he'd accepted them for what they were.

"Keep just enough for the door," he decided on. Her mouth opened to protest, numbers practically running through her scent, but he kept on. "I'l get the cells to the skiff. Get it runnin' and then come back. Got too many injured."

She gave him a look, measuring and finding him suitable. Not wanting, she'd never looked at him that way, least not yet. Her face and scent changed as she caught that last thought. It was the kind of look that told him he was being an idiot and wasting time. She shook her head and all those dark curls flew back and forth, drying nicely and filling the air with a scent free of hygiene products and perfume.

"Beautiful will keep a light on for the Beast," she looked at him once more. Bit like a fairy and faintly blue in his vision. Needed to figure that out. "Can not guarantee a home cooked meal. She is a terrible one."

"Now what good is a wife who can't cook?" He stood and grinned once more at the shock in the cave.

"Never needed to know," she defended easily. Playful and scent flickering with all kinds of things that made him want to indulge in some caveman behavior. "Was taught to be pretty, was taught to kill, and was taught to be a bedpartner." She looked up at him from her spot on the floor and he knew she was going to get an inquisition once he left.

Maybe that was why he leaned down and kissed her.

Had the feeling he would go. Considered pulling something in the way of the cave before winding the harness round his arms and taking off. Second decision was coming now. Stay or go. Leave the only partner he'd ever managed to trust, or rescue her and his self proclaimed stepkid?

"That was too sweet," Shazza pulled River from her wool gathering. She was watching from her corner of the cave, still working over the gun she'd nabbed from Johns but a bit more focused on what was going on in front of her. Imam and Ali were going about the room, putting out the lights they didn't need and setting them aside. "Curious about that _lao puo_ bit though."

"Holy man offered blessings," she answered simply. "Took them, knowing. Doesn't know why, perhaps it was as a trip to New Vegas."

"It does put me more at ease, knowing that you knew," Imam admitted. His mind relaxed and contentment blossomed out. Ali by his side was bright and shining with the knowledge as he came to sit beside her. Had been clinging to an old life in case the new one faded away. Would it break his heart when they separated? Would they? Too many variables to think on. Too much for such a small space.

"I'm sorry," Frye raised a hand. "What the hell would posses you to agree to marrying him?"

"Wasn't possessed. They were became partners when the crash began, have remained so. Bounty on her head and a creed of Greed kept them silent," River covered Ali's ears until he heard only the sound of their blood rushing. "Have been secret and mindful when partaking in acts meant for two."

"You've been fucking him?" Frye asked. Shocked and jealous, hurt even that she hadn't been chosen. That a girl from the core was once again her better. Not her better, simply chosen.

"Ugly words," River frowned. Ali was counting rocks, bored and caring not at all for what they spoke of, whatever it might be. "Makes all things shining dim."

"He's a fucking murderer," Frye countered. Shazza didn't admit that there was a point to that; Frye's own actions were blooming in her head.

"Are you not?" River asked. She slowly uncovered Ali's ear and went to sit beside Jack. The girl was adapting to the drugs in her system, pain just at the edge of her mind and form. "Must be patient."

"Do you really think he's coming back?" she asked. Worried that the image of the man she'd heard of was the man out there, that the persona he'd put on wasn't truth.

"Shouldn't worry so much." River leaned back against the wall and looked at the door. "Not even there yet."

Would be soon though. Would be there soon and he would wonder and ponder. Would think on things he wanted and had and needed and thought himself too much of a badass for. Too much of a threat to. Would think on his label as Psychopath and wear it like a cloak. Like Armor. Keep the man who was deep under the ground, like bioraptors, like the facility they sat in now. No magazines in the waiting room. Only dirt and sand and rusted doors.

A blink. Was the beast right? River pulled away and turned to face the wall. Was she truly fallable? Knew she was in theory, and a lack of correct data often led to foolish theories and ideals, but did she miss this because she hadn't listened well enough to the minds of the broken? What was so different about this place to make her hear and see that it was a door? Escape, safety, light if she could get in and past the stone. Waiting under her fingers and humming silently as the minds behind her buzzed and jagged edges came into the sound of it all. Brushed them away. Not helpful. A seam in the rock, hidden but not, disguised to be a proper seam in proper rock but this was not. Hummed, gave a faint glow and hid secrets behind it. Secrets of safety beyond reach that all fled from or ran towards. Barred from the otherside and flying through stars and dust. Could she open the crack in the wall and climb through to the other side? Couldn't let the stone fly them out. Would crash again, possibly die a great and firey death worthy of song and of dance.

Pulled her knife and slid it into the seam of the rock. Just the edge. Would dull the blade if she moved wrong. Mustn't, wouldn't. Could take the tool from ali but he already thought her mad like the others. Mad Momma was better than Bad Momma. Worked to widen it, to ease it open and give her the secrets within. Could not seduce, could not force, must work carefully until she got through to the other side. Felt the Stone go white hot before falling quiet again. Still in the cave, stewing over sticking it in crazy and polished little girls wanting a bad boy. Shazza wondered if she'd heard something or if it was the madness brought on by Alliance doctors. Or maybe she was Schizophrenic. Knew things though. Settled on ignoring it until she started slicing on people instead. Like Jayne. Much like Jayne. Bad match, good match, didn't matter.

Click. Tap, scrape of metal on metal that only a few heard. Imam and Jack who'd been watching her for lack of else to do. One came over, taller than them both and looked to see what she was digging at. Needed more light, from above did little to help her see. Silly little larva, didn't know they lived for death. Saw them but did not hear them for the clicking and screeching out of doors.

"Did he say he'd come back?" Frye asked. Sent fear and doubt through them. Tired of hearing her bitter words and jagged thoughts. Would kill them all even now. Not for malice save one, but for survival. Believed in Darwin beyond what was true. Different kind of animal.

"Didn't need to," she called over her shoulder, still trying to get through. More metal against metal, particular kind of screech that made a body and a brain wine for the sound of it. "Welcome to go check and see."

Had a bad feeling. That tingle in his brain was gone. Not that he missed it, got pretty fucking annoying if he was honest. Except now, it felt strange. Not a tingle or even a full thought, but something odd. Like she was getting wooly and didn't even know it. That wasn't it either though. Maybe it was his conscience. Kicking it's head up after all these years and trying to get him to go save someone else. Except that usually landed him in prison. Not that he wasn't used to it by now, but those little jaunts tended to happen when he was getting tired or got outnumbered. Partner might lessen that, or it might make it worse. Then again, she didn't seem overly interested in anything long term or permanent. Chafed him, just a bit.

"Fuck!" Cell kept shocking him when he tried to get it into the homemade converter River and Shazza jerry rigged together. He could remember Ali muttering about it during the run. Fuck. Had to go back if only for the kid. Maybe his wife too. Something was wrong with the whole situation. By the time the cel was hooked up he wasn't sure if he wanted to check the engines or not. Knew that enough light, but he wasn't so sure about how safe they were in the dark and underground.

He flicked the switches, double checked everything going on with the ship and made sure their shitty pilot hadn't bogged the thing down or miscalculated things. She had. Four power cells...damn thing only needed three. Made him think on River; how Frye knew less about ships than she did of landing them. Funny thing that, being right without knowing it. Except something was very odd when he looked back up. Frye was standing in front of him, bottle high in the air and daring him to try and leave with her standing in front. Now what was that about?

He saw exactly what it was about when he opened the hatch. She'd snagged the big gauge from Shazza and now she had it pointed at his head. Not the heart or the waist, but right at his goddamn head. Far enough away she'd hit him if he tried to take it.

"Strong survival instinct," He admitted. "Admire that in a woman."

"You're not leaving. Not without the others." Her tone was solid and there wasn't a lie in her scent at all. Made him laugh a bit when the tingle popped back. Surprised, raging, completely indignant and ready to kill someone. "Not without your family. Not without the people you chose to protect and guide through this shit."

"Think you've mistaken me for somebody who gives a fuck." He leaned against the ship and watched her. Something was very off about this. She believed her words too much. "That, or you think you're gonna ghost me if I don't offer to get out of here with just you."

"What? You afraid?" Challenging him to cover her shame. Still didn't let her gun leave his head or admit to it.

"Ah, confusin' me with Johns now. Fear was his monkey. I only deal in life and death." He couldn't feel river anymore. She'd turned into something he couldn't figure out and left his mind with a single purpose. "All that stuff in between? Some shade of grey my eyes don't see."

"I trusted you Riddick," she adjusted her grip. There it was. Jealous woman was pointing a gun at him with the kind of crazy he really didn't care for. The kind he made an effort to avoid whenever he was looking for some in a dive bar. "Goddamn, I trusted that some part of you wanted-"

"To go balls deep?" He cut her off. "Oh, I know that. Tell me, did you kill Tam first? Or did you just think about it?"

"Thought about a wall actually." Frye was too pleased with herself. "See, you two kind of have this thing between you. Gets a bit obvious when Johns isn't looking. Start to have a conversation with your eyes. And Tam, Fey, whatever the fuck, she knows a couple things she shouldn't."

"Figured out she was a reader and you thought about a wall to escape." Pretty clever that, 'cept she didn't know what was coming for her. Neither did he, but maybe that was part of what made it fun. Definately what made him take off his goggles and start looking into the darkness. "So what, just blocked out your intentions?"

"Nah, thought on the back wall and how that crack looked like a door. Thought maybe something good was back there, but more than that. I started convincing myself there was something back there." She was grinning now. "Imagine my surprise when she actually found a door. Course, with as much as she's digging, she'll probably let something in that way. And you, being the leading sack of shit you are, aren't leaving this planet without her soon to be dead scrawny ass."

He was seeing it now. A ruckus of a crazy kind going on out in the dark. Something shining every now and again. Raptors swarming on a place before they'd stop moving and start getting eaten. Something small was coming at them with a speed he hadn't predicted, something real dangerous and just a little blue.

"Been wondering actually, if rejoining the human race is worth it." Got Frye's attention and her grip on the gun was loosening just a bit. "I mean, words don't mean shit, you know? And I wasn't leading you on."

"No?" Frye asked. "Then why go after Tam?"

"Ah, come on?" he grinned. "Little thing like that? All white lace and innocent? And I do mean innocent. Didn't even know what a dick looked like until she saw mine. Couldn't resist."

That little blue dot was closer now, and person shaped. Ducking and arching and moving through the night like a fairy. The kind of fairy from those really old fairy tales of Earth, who cursed livestock and tore the soles of yoru shoes out for slighting them. Frye was a kind of fairy herself, bit more vindictive thought. And harder to trick. Her scent and stance only barely relaxed as she turned the words over in her head. Got that unstable scent that meant she might kill you in your sleep as easily as she might fuck you awake. She'd already tried the one.

"Just get the fuck off the skiff," she bit out. Apparently she wasn't happy with his attempt to get on her good side.

"Got a better idea." He liked having a fairy around. And there she was, right at the edge of sanity and just waiting for the words. Beautifully broken with eyes shining in the night. "Talk it over with her."

A delicate leg popped up to kick Frye in the back and the shotgun gent down to the ground. River Tam was standing there, not altogether sane or human in that moment and just rippling with a killer's mind. Soaking wet and covered in dark stains while blades flashed every time Frye tried to pick up the gun. A twirl and a dodge as Frye tried to grab at her without getting hit or get to the gun. Too many people relied on guns in Riddick's opinion. Frye lunged again and managed to get a hold on the gun before the blade came down on her head. Not dead, but face down in the mud and soon to be breathing it in if they didn't get her out of it. The woman turned on him then, still rippling and just a bit blue as she measured him. Longer this time, analyzing and far from human. A wild fairy girl smelling of wine and blood and standing victorious over the woman she'd been warring against since they met.

"Beautiful," he smiled at her.

A pause in the ripples but still not quite there. Those eyes were still watching him though, testing the threat level before she let herself relax. Body ready to attack at any moment as he sat down on the edge of the ramp.

"My Beautiful, wild, fairy girl," he spoke again. Wasn't so much that she was spooky right now as he wanted to talk. Wasn't used to getting silence from her when he tried to talk. Most guys he'd ignore or walk away if they weren't listening. Not River though. River was coming back just a little bit every time he spoke up. "Always wondered about them, fairies. Nuns at the home used to tell us stories. Tended to be jokers most of the time, but every so often a smart one would pop up. A beautiful one too. Never the same one though. Not unless it was some fairy queen kidnapped by goblins."

She was almost done. Almost out of that killer's haze she'd gotten herself into. Could see it in her eyes and the wine was almost back to being fresh green grapes.

"Except the guy who rescued the queen never got to marry her. Got knighted, got gifts and crowns of flowers," He looked her in the eyes. Those sane eyes that were aware of what was going on as she let her blades slide closed. "Sometimes he'd even get a kiss."

"Don't have time for more. Waiting for us." Her blades were back on her thighs and she was moving to kneel front of him. Not quite as blue as last time, but still stood out against the rest of his violet colored world.

"What if we bring 'em back here, and then go at it caveman style?" His grin got bigger when a giggle popped up from her lips. "Got an extra cell 'cause we had a Shitty pilot who knows less about ships than she does landing them."

"Wants her to get sand in places it shouldn't be." She leaned forward and soft lips touched his. Gentle and sweet in all kinds of ways that shouldn't be his. "Does he truly wish to lug a cell back and forth three times in the dark? Or would he rather sequester away in the cockpit on the way to New Mecca?"

"Honeymoon suite," he chuckled against her lips. "Alright. Talked me into it. We'll bring the family along."

"Glad the husband agrees." She kissed him again. Almost softer than the first time but just as sweet. "A kiss for a deed well done, and more when they return to their kingdom in the sky."

She wasn't as strong as he was, but she was quick about rigging shit together. Ripped the safety lights from the skiff and plugged them in real quick like while he got Frye cuffed to a post at the back of the thing and far from flight control. After that it was quick. She wasn't as strong as he was, but the light was brighter and she was fast without other people to bog her down. Made the trip in a quarter of the time with her and only one cell. Sliding down into the canyon and hearing the raptors click with nerves and pain, flesh burning in his nose as they passed the ones playin' possum or so close to death they couldn't fly away. Didn't stop 'til they were in front of that little light and the others were smiling from inside. All this for a kiss from Beautiful.

~!~

Playing at nurse again as she peeled the bandage from Shazza's leg. Couldn't see how good or bad it was for the light. Life raft was exactly that. Enough fuel to get into the lanes and stick a thumb out. Enough room to keep from going mad and stacked bunks that folded against the wall to give them room to walk about. A folding table in the floor to give them something to lean on. The wall was what came in the Beast's mind. The wall Frye had told him on and the one that would let him claim his prize. Not the Fey or Tam, but the person he'd seen popping her head out from the sand while she came back from being something else. Thought to meet her now. Had seen the girl at the edge of the abyss and the darkness, had seen her while she was death for an ideal, had seen her kind and calm to children and the injured. Called her a saint, tending to children and criminals.

"Go on," Shazza waved her off. "Can see you man eyeing you like a steak."

"Should hope he doesn't wish to grill her with onions," River made a face.

"Deserve it after that _gou se_," Shazza waved her off. "Kid's tuckered out with Imam and Jack's not likely to move for anything right now."

Wanted a moment to grieve alone. Not likely to take her life. Guns were locked away up front and the woman wanted to sit and stare and realize what was her life now.

"Yes ma'am," River gave her a light salute. "Likely to be a sarge yourself when the time comes."

"God I hope not," She grimaced.

River looked about once more before going to the front of the skiff. Riddick was waiting there, course set as near as he could get it to go. Would drift for a week or more if they were not picked up. Cryo cuffs had been discovered under the beds for just such an occasion. He was staring at the Black though his mind was on her. Her hand went to the control panel and the doors slid shut. Private room for the honeymooners to indulge in several new fantasies he'd created between then and now. River took her seat on his lap and wondered at the stars in his eyes.

"Wishes him to know that she was not attempting to buy her safety with sex." Her hands went to his shoulders and she leaned back against the console. His shirt was hanging from a hook in the back, drying with most everyone else's things. Let her admire the skin and the muscle structure spread out before her. Let her scent him more fully in the air and smile for it.

"Knife work like you had out there, never even crossed my mind."

"Shouldn't lie if you can't do it better than that."

That brought a chuckle from him, deep and rich like the Beast below. Arms went around her waist and pulled her closer, away from the console so she leaned on his chest. Thoughts flickering through his head on words some preacher man had told him once before. Marriage needed to be consummated for validation.

"Thinking too much on the words of holy men with broken books," she whispered. Her forehead touched his and starry eyes shone back at her. "Felt him struggling in there with the idea of it all. Won't push him or pull him. Hates cells as much as she does."

"Here we are though, in this tiny little box. In the dark with hardly a thing between us." Hands strayed from her waist to her thighsand drifted up. The feel of sand between their skin and of dried sweat and rain was primal again. It was caveman again and the Beast was wondering if she'd stripped out of her knickers. "Catch a chill in those wet clothes."

"Does he promise she will not freeze?" she asked. His fingers were moving along her thighs, circling around for handfuls of flesh. Hot on her chilled skin as he pulled her closer.

"Blazing hot," he spoke against her lips.

A light kiss and a pinch to her behind before he leaned back and let her rise from his lap. Wanted to watch her as she stripped down to nothing. The Beast needed to see more of her than he had on that bed in the settlement. He would too. Would see so much more than he knew. For now there would be skin. There would be the removal of gauzey blouses, collecting her curls up before letting them fall down around her. Tracing over skin and tickling her back. Still damp from running and rain.

Made him start to growl, deep and low in his chest and she swayed to the sound of it. The bandeau was next, unclipped and falling down to the floor, caught by the quick hand of the Beast. Leaning forward now to smell her skin and press lips to her stomach. Warm and soft before lips parted and heavy breaths spread out against her skin. Riddick's mouth drifted and teeth grazed her ribs before she moved away once more. Something to making a man wait and watch that made her enjoy it. Making him scowl and teasing him ignited the hope she had that he wouldn't be so worried this time. Not so distracted.

Hers hands drifted from the ribs he'd nipped at down to her hips were the skirt still held. Unzipped it for him, let it pool around her feet on the floor to stand bare before him. Nothing but a smile as he rose up and began to unbutton and unzip. Still larger than average, still the Beast she wanted and needed. She hungered for him.

"Got an idea," he rumbled, coming closer. She was pressed up against the wall, excited and nervously wanting his idea. Didn't know the particulars of it but knew a bit. Knew enough to make her breath catch as he braced his arms on either side of her. "Little bit caveman, little bit animal."

Riddick leaned forward and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply before he put his mouth on her skin and nipped at her. Kissed and suckled until she thought she might fall to the grated floor. Hands were on her hips again, holding her closer to he and his sex. Stiff and twitching against her stomach, pulsing in time with her own while kisses on her neck became more aggressive, more nipping and shifting as sighs came from her being. Kneaded her flesh and pushed his hips against her own until they were in rhythm with one another and she could have screamed for wanting him. Like for like, equal in teasing and torture. Lips on her own, hard and devouring her, teaching her something new that she agreed wholeheartedly with. Remembered what his tongue could do and her knees began to shake from it.

"Need you," She breathed against his mouth when he pulled back. Not much, just enough to breath her in. "I want you."

"Turn around and I'll let you have me."

Like a beast. Wanted his fairy on all fours as he took his prize. Made her shake to think on it, made it easy to turn and go down on her hands and knees. Exciting to look over her shoulder and see him admiring and kneeling behind her. Latex already around the length that rest upon her buttocks. Rough hands on her flesh once more before a kiss was placed on her spine. Traced her skin and fingers dipping into places that made her jump until they moved on. Dipped low and into her, making her sigh again as they moved too slowly. Wouldn't let her move though. Held her still with his free hand and he spread her wetness around and moved against her.

"Please, she is sorry she teased a beast."

"Good."

Didn't slam into her. Riddick moved slowly and paused when her breath caught from the sensation. Still sore but perfectly full. Pulled out just as slow and draw a sigh from her. Went into her hard then and made her yelp from it, touching places he hadn't before and then pulling out slowly again. Wasn't animal but it was the Beast who did this. Slow and smooth before he did it again, nearly lifted her knees from the floor and her cry made the growls increase. Still teasing her but teasing himself as well. River tried to move back against him only to have a sharp swat; brought her things she knew of in tales and showed her how they felt.

"Please," she breathed as his hand caressed the abused flesh of her behind. "Please, both need, no one to hear us."

"Gotta teach you patience later," he rumbled. Lips touched her spine again before he thrust into her again. Wasn't teasing now, went harder, faster, like animals on the floor but better. Held her hips tighter and kept the pace to his liking. Knees off the floor and resting on her elbows, crying out against the floor and her arms as Riddick took her. There was the feel of him, taking what she offered and making her body sing and tighten all over as he moved her. Felt herself climbing higher as he pounded into her flesh, harder and growling with each movement until her cries couldn't match him. Muscles went tighter and her throat began to ache as he went. Too much, past full and screaming as the world burned bright and blue around them and her body shook from it. Wasn't done though, still pushing into her, harder, wilder and drawing out her joy he'd brought her until his growls turned into a roar and he fell forward, caging her body for a moment before he fell aside. Took her with him before he pulled out and let her pant against his arm.

Took more effort than she had to face his chest. Instead she pressed back against him and was content. Lay like that until he moved her closer and sat up. Let her continue laying against his chest while he propped himself agains the console. Hadn't had the time or the quiet to really and truly fuck her as he thought on.

Thought on a few things before brushing them from his mind. Knew better than to bring up her family now. Didn't want to think on family at all. That meant too many things he wasn't prepared for.

Bit him. Not hard, but enough to draw his attention. Away from distracting thoughts and back to her. What they'd done and what she was. Beautiful. Dangerous. And very possibly a bit of a nympho. Riddick was wondering what sort of creature he'd created.

"The kind that will not apologize for making him spank her." Her teeth grazed his skin again and he grinned down at her full of wickedness.

"Noticed that." His eyebrows raised with his words and he stopped caring what he'd brought out in her. "Wonderin' if you were ever spanked as a child."

"Never."

"Never?"

"She was too smart to get caught." River shifted so she could lean against him and the wall more fully. "Even if she had been caught, it would have been sitting in her room and reading from the broken book. Had the sort of family who didn't believe in such base behavior as spankings."

"What would they think of you now? Curled up naked next to a con...doesn't seem very smart to me."

She poked him in the side and he growled as tired muscles jumped. Upset she'd found it, the on place that tickled and made it spread wherever her fingertips danced.

"Forgets that he's the one who lured a schizophrenic into his grasp."

Riddick laughed for the feeling on his body and her reply. A pair of crazy folk runnin' around in the dark and killing things before going at it like animals. Except the crazy was different. Hers was forced on her, bit like his and not at all. Violent, messy, pokin' around in her head while his was a bit more...natural. Picked up from a life in one cell or another. Didn't matter if it was at the children's home or Slam City, it was all a jail cell. Any thoughts he might have had growing up, any dreams about being a normal fuckin' person were long dead and buried. Except this one.

"Pops its head up like a meercat." Her voice was soft and secret. Like she didn't even want to admit it. "Prima Ballerina Assoluta, would have known her name across the verse for her grace and kindness. Even you."

He already knew she was graceful and kind. Maybe that's why he agreed to it in the first place. Wanted it, to break it or keep it, didn't know.

"Could have done anything, ended up running because we saw too much."

"Nothin' truer than that."

He'd been pretty smart at the home. Smart enough to do anything with the right scholarships, ended up a company man instead. Seemed to go downhill form there. Started reading people instead of books and studying situations over star charts. Used to think about girls like the one laying against his side, impressing them with a fancy job and maybe even a ship of his own. Strange verse they lived in that he ended up with her.

"Considering blowing them up." He looked down at the woman who began speaking and wondered if he should worry. She was staring at the divider with a vague kind of scent and her hand was cool on his chest. "She could indulge in the title they give her. Terrorist. Set Parliament ablaze and destroy Hera. Send them running like headless chickens without a street to cross."

"Thought you wanted to see the Sidhe system?" He asked. "Not against a bit of violence myself, but that's kind of the opposite way."

"She will, and it is." Smelling him again, breathing real deep and getting that vague scent out of her system. "Was thinking on after. Wondered what to do when Avalon is nothing more than a pile of rocks or the whispers of a dream. Grandmother could be dead or mad. Never did check Elysium records to see."

"So crazy is a bit of a family thing." He didn't growl when she poked at him this time. Instead he pulled her into his lap and grinned. "Once we get to New Mecca you're going to have to buy a ship. Steal one of a merc or a pimp maybe, but they like to keep their records real clean out here."

"Hears them whispering," she shook her head and the bridge was filled with something new; not wine or grapes, but something just at the edge of a word. River was swaying just a little bit and her mind was someplace out there where words didn't have a place. "The gallery floats through, collecting specimens for the queen and shiny cashy money for the hive. Sleeping, always sleeping until she calls them. Collecting them for her garden, flowers to look upon and smell, holds them to her chest for loneliness or comfort until her tears stop."

He didn't speak, just let her keep floating wherever it was she happened to be. Never met a reader who hadn't told him useless shit. Not until River. Not always perfect, but not usually wrong either. Tended to be kind of dangerous when she got hazy too. So he didn't speak. Just let her sit in his lap, faintly blue and swaying to some tune he sure as fuck couldn't hear. Beautiful like this, real ethereal and fairylike. Much as he thought that, Riddick liked her more when she was with him. Was never the type to be very good at riddles or poems. Comprehension was fine so long as he had most of the puzzle in front of him, but this...

"ETA in 16 hours. Prepping containment crew and clearing dock 3." The voice wasn't quite hers but he knew what that meant a helluva lot more than the last thing she said. Riddick breathed deep when the scent of grapes came back into the air. "Will need to be healed and ready by that time. Coming for them, both of them for the garden, but the girl is only to accompany him. Insulting."

He laughed again. The face she made and the way everything shifted was too much. River Tam was too much for his game face to stick very long. Problem with that if he ever found himself making a back alley deal for a ship and some guns.

"What?" he asked. She was making a face at him.

"Wouldn't go with him when he made his business deals. Would ruin his image and she is not fond of back alleys. Better at robbing banks or stealing." She gave a little shrug. "Would be faster to procure one set of items while he found another. If they continued as partners after New Mecca."

If. Mighty big if, wasn't it? Kinda nice though, bein' able to communicate without him needing to talk. Wasn't that he was against it so much as he didn't have much to say or people worth talking to. Not unless he needed a team to bust out of some place. Then it was orders, his show and they needed to know their parts. Quick study sitting in front of him. Nails were tracing down his sides, making his breath catch when they tickled before moving down to trace circles on his stomach. River leaned forward and breathed him in again. It made her pulse pick up and that animal need inside of her spike through her scent. Released a real nympho when he went down on her yesterday.

"Sleep first," he stopped her. "Ain't had any real sleep in a while, if these guys are really coming, need to be on our toes."

She was pouting at him now, arms crossed and a look on her face to make him grin again. All kindsa fun bein' with her. He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss before adjusting himself against the console. She wasn't having it though. Stood up and made him open his eyes to watch her fiddle with the chairs and pull a couple of levers. He had to scoot when both of the chairs fell horizontal. Another safety was released and she had them shifted up against each other to make a bed. Crappy chairs made a reasonable bed; He'd been wondering why a six person skiff only had two places to sleep.

"No blankets," she huffed, letting herself fall onto it. "Clothes are dirty, would not like to put them on until she must."

Fair enough. He joined River on the mattress and pulled her over to him. Tiny thing, but soft where she needed to be and the right size to fit inside of his grasp. She knew he liked to be close to a woman after sex; He didn't fucking cuddle. If the woman in his arms had ever even implied that he cuddled, he might have left her ass on that rock.

"Sleep," her voice came across. "Thinking on things so silly as words."

"Yeah yeah," he moved his arms to cushion his head. Headrests didn't do shit when you wanted to sleep on your side.

This was enough he decided as he started to let himself drift off. Place to rest his head and a partner to watch his six. And whatever numbers weren't on the clock to begin with. Like a thirteen, or a twenty... He better not start to fucking talk like her. River made a noise and he brushed the thought away. Thinkin' on words again.

* * *

There ya go. All done. With Pitch Black at least. Might get around to Dark Fury at some point relatively soon, then Chronicles. Of course, there will be Firefly coming in now and again. Mostly a lot of squawking from Simon and some confusion on behalf of most others. And Shazza will be a very, very, delightful cook for Serenity and the family. We'll touch on them again at some point of course. Riddick will meet them and River will agree to reunite for a short time, but she's not going to crew with them unless they call her in for some particular missions or the war starts again. Which it will.

Seriously. I'm starting the war again.

And River is going to blow up some buildings. It's all very flamboyant and action filled. With sex. Violence and sex and really just another vacation for River and Riddick.

Until next time!


	4. Na-na-notes!

Ya'll know this story is finished right? No reason to follow it, because there's no more updates ^_^ There is a sequel, but that's going to be a different fic altogether. So, if you're going to Follow anything, it should be Me, the author, because this right here? The last addition.

Dark Fury is almost done, and it will have reactions from Simon and the crew, as well as a few interactions between Jayne and Shazza and then some stuff where Simon freaks out when he sees that River adopted Ali and got hitched.


End file.
